Coping with grief and loss

Geskryf deur John le Roux on 03 Julie 2010. Posted in English - Resources

Any loss can cause grief, including a relationship breakup, loss of health, losing a job, loss of financial stability, a miscarriage, the death of a pet, loss of a cherished dream, a loved one’s serious illness, loss of a friendship, and loss of safety after a trauma such as a serious crime incident.

After a significant loss, you may experience all kinds of difficult and surprising emotions, such as shock, anger, and guilt. These are normal reactions to loss. Accepting them as part of the grieving process and allowing yourself to feel what you feel, is necessary for healing.

There are healthy ways to cope with pain. Grief that is expressed and experienced has a potential for healing that eventually can strengthen and enrich life.

When a person suffers a major loss, he or she goes through certain stages of grieving in order to heal. The grieving process can be described as a series of emotional states in a downward curve that bottoms out before the process of recovery begins – called the “grief cycle”.

These stages are depicted in the diagram below (also included in a PowerPoint in English and Afrikaans).

Being aware of these emotional states can assist us in working through the grief and continue towards recovery

You can read the full article on Coping with Grief and Loss of prof Danie Louw in the attached English newsletter of SAAP (Suid Afrikaanse Assosiasie vir Pastoraat). Please log in to see both the PowerPoint and the Word document of SAAP.