Bereavement is the death or loss of someone close to us. Grief is the process of how bereavement and loss affect us. How we react to loss will be different for everyone.
There are many types of loss; loss of health, of employment, marital breakdown, divorce and death. Below you’ll find advice and guidance on understanding more about the grieving experience. Also, remember, there is no right or wrong to grieve.
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In this section
The Grieving Family
When a close relative dies, it not only causes a major grief reaction in us as individuals, but it also effects how your family functions. This doesn’t mean your family will never function well again, but adjusting to the death can be painful and it takes time.
Living Through the Death of Your Partner
Adapting to life without your partner is a process that takes time. How you use that time is very important. The more challenging your bereavement, the more you will have to adapt and cope.
Grieving the Death of Someone Close
The death of someone close often comes as a shock, even if you expected it. You can’t really prepare yourself for the impact it will have on your life. How you grieve will depend on many things.
Losing a Pet
Pets can bring a special presence into your life. They provide a loving connection and a way to share our deepest emotions without words. So, it’s only natural that when we lose such a valued friend it will cause us deep pain.
Grief at Work
You can play an important role, along with family, friends and your employer, in helping a bereaved colleague find their way through the grieving process. Support from colleagues and the workplace can make a difficult situation less painful.
Coping with the Death of a Same Sex Partner
A major bereavement is not something you get over, but learning to adapt to this life event is one of the key factors in coping with a partner’s death. Adapting to life without your partner or spouse is a process and it takes time.
Bereaved by Suicide
When someone ends their own life, those left behind often wrestle with questions about the value and meaning of life and of suffering. You may also have many unanswered questions.
Adults Grieving the Death of a Parent
The death of a parent can be a shocking and life-changing experience. Adults are expected to be able to cope, to get on with their life and to take things in their stride. The reality, however, can be quite different.
Children’s Grief
Children grieve in their own way following a death and each child’s reaction will depend on the circumstances of their loss. How they respond also will depend on their age and their understanding of death.
Adolescent Grief
When a death occurs, the life of a teenager can become very difficult. It’s important you support them in their grief and they have a caring adult who is willing to listen and to validate their loss.
