"When we love deeply, we mourn deeply, extraordinary grief is an expression of extraordinary love. Grief and love mirror each other, one is not possible without the other." - Dr. Joanne Cacciatore
What is Grief?
Grief is the inner part of loss, in how we feel. It's a journey, a process. There is no right way to grieve, and everyone grieves differently. No two people will grieve the same, even if they lost the same loved one.
The pain of loss is so intense, so heartbreaking, because in loving we deeply connect with another human, and grief is the reflection of the connection that has been lost. There's nothing wrong with people who are grieving. The pain and sadness of grief is normal or cannot be cured but still needs to be acknowledged.
It's a problem that can't be fixed. The phrase "time heals all wounds" adds to the confusion that grief is something we can recover from. To recover means returning to the way things used to be. The loved one who was once there isn't and that's a fact that can't be changed or fixed. We learn to walk with our grief and integrate our "new normal" without our loved one.
What is Traumatic Grief?
Research identifies traumatic grief as the death of a baby or child, violent death, suicide, homicide, and untimely deaths.