Written By Redbird Therapy
What Is Grief?
Losing someone near and dear to us is a deeply personal and complex experience. Learning to live with our loss and navigating what it means to move forward can feel like a process.
Grief is the emotional response of losing someone or something that was important to us. It is often a reflection of the love, care, connection, and meaning that the person had in our lives. To learn more about grief and bereavement, check out webpage on this topic:
How Can I Express My Grief?
Each of us have our unique ways of mourning – the process of expressing and moving through our grief. While some people prefer to openly express their grief, others may choose quieter forms of reflections. All of these experiences are valid as grieving has no rules.
What is important is that we make space in our lives to process the loss. For some, this might look like spending time reflecting on memories, or talking to a trusted family member, friend, or mental health professional. Creative outlets, such as art, music, or movement can be especially helpful, as they support emotional expression in ways that are sometimes difficult to access through words alone.
Why Are Holidays And Special Occasions So Difficult?
Holidays and special occasions can serve as reminders of our loss and intensify our grief as they highlight the absence of our loved one. Events and celebrations that were once joyful can now feel painful and bittersweet.
Redbird’s Associate Therapists talk about ways to navigate holidays and special occasions after a loss in this educational video,
l step can be to acknowledge that special occasions can feel different after experiencing a loss. This helps adjust our expectations and also gives us the opportunity to identify ways to make the experience more manageable. Whether that is skipping certain gatherings if you don’t feel comfortable yet, or starting new traditions to honour your loved one, and maybe even identifying ways you can create a small tribute.
How Can I Keep My Loved One’s Memory Alive?
Remembering the ways your loved one shaped your life can help maintain a sense of connection. This can be through everyday rituals like lighting a candle, supporting causes that were important to them, or continuing traditions that were meaningful to them.
Creating memorials are another personalised way of keeping a loved one’s memory alive. Redbird’s soon-to-be Associate, Charlie Hopper has developed a Do-it-yourself PCKT Memorial.
This resource can guide you through the process of building a personal, portable memorial within a small found container. Rather than pushing grief aside or rushing toward resolution, this offering encourages gentler ways of carrying loss, allowing grief to be held with curiosity, steadiness, and care.
If you or a loved one have recently experienced a loss and are looking for support, reach out to one of our Associate Therapists today:
Myroslava, Terri, Rahwa, Barbara, Nic, Liz, Benjamin, Liana, Aanchal, Lee, Charlie, Shauna and the Low-Cost Counseling Program
