The Cycle of Grief
There is no timetable for grief, and no two people grieve in the
same way. It may surface in the form of denial, depression, anger,
crying spells, feelings of guilt, helplessness or hopelessness,
even not wanting to live. There is often a “Why me, God?”
sense of abandonment.
All of these responses represent normal experiences of grief, but
they also make for a great deal of work, for grief may be the hardest
work we ever do.
There are no schools to teach us how to grieve. We never graduate
or receive any diplomas. We simply learn to live with the pain,
taking one day at a time, eventually accepting the challenge of
renewing and enjoying our lives.
Survival
This is the first challenge. The adjustment forced upon us by the
loss of a loved one can be the greatest crisis we will ever know.
While this alone presents an obstacle to our well-being, it is
often further complicated because our society lives in open denial
of death. Instead of a natural part of the cycle of life, we treat
death as something to be feared and hidden. The result is that we
are expected to suppress our grief when we lose a loved one, instead
of expressing this natural and necessary emotion.
It is this suppression of grief that can have severe mental and
physical health implications. The failure to adequately address
the emotions associated with grief can lead to problems such as
job loss, alcoholism and drug addiction, marital strife and depression.
It can even threaten our very existence.
Solace
Adjusting to life after the death of a loved one requires us to
somehow find a renewed sense of purpose for our lives, a purpose
that helps us to simply begin living again. We call it “heart
work.” Sharing with those who have a similar need is often
the best way to begin to accomplish this.
You can call us at (512) 467-2600 during office hours (Monday through
Friday, 9 am to 5 pm). We are here to help, to visit with you and
talk when you need someone to talk to. We’ll also be able to
refer you to one of our support groups.
For the Love of Christi offers 15 support meetings each month that
have helped thousands of people from all ages and all walks of life
begin the healing process. For more than 16 years, we have seen
the solace of these groups help our members find a way from despair
to hope. (Click here for support group
information)
It’s often difficult to know what to say or how to support
a friend, child or co-worker who is grieving. For the Love of Christi
provides many different types of programs to educate the general
public about the issues of grief and other concerns of the bereaved.
We also offer assistance to crime victims. (Click here for education
program information)
There are no fees for our services.
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