Grief, Loss and Trauma

By Heather Bunting

We have all experienced loss of one sort or another in our lives. We may think our situation or family is bad or the worst, but everyone struggles in one way or another.

Loss is a part of our lives – loss of a particularly close and very much loved one, loss of a pregnancy, infertility, loss of friends through death or distance, loss of a pet, loss of relationship, loss of a job, loss of a dream, loss of physical health, loss of children living at home when they move away, and so on.

Consider when a couple separate – what dreams did they have on their wedding day?

These are all forms of loss – and grief is a natural response to loss.

I left my family at the age of 19 didn’t see my father again before he died decades later. I saw my mother 37 years after I left but only the once before she died.

You might say it was my choice to leave the cult I was in, which it was. But that doesn’t mean I haven’t grieved for the loss of my family, the loss of the dreams of a different life, the loss of having the support of a loving family as I brought my own family up.

So what do we do with that grief?

Allowing grief to be buried inside doesn’t allow us to move on. There are gentle ways of working through grief and loss. Understanding how grief works as well as the stages of grief can help. Of course we do not want to re-live traumatic events, sometimes we re-live them over and over in our minds anyway – but we do not have to carry them with us always.

Counselling can and does help. Reach out to someone you trust today.

I’d love to know what you think of what I’ve said here.

You can give me your feedback, ask a question by email via the contact page or post a comment below.

If you or someone you know would like a personal consultation, please email via the contact page and I will get back to you asap.

Do something different with your life  with Heather Bunting.