From loss to resilience: Advice for how to manage grief

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The holidays aren’t always an easy time of year. For those experiencing grief, it can be a lonely, painful time.

“Grief hurts,” said Gina Forte, a grief educator, during a webinar hosted by AgrAbility. “It hurts because when we love someone or something, we become attached to that person, relationship or even an object or situation.

“When we lose this relationship, we go through the grieving process.”

The good news is the grieving process has a purpose.

“The function is to restore and heal,” Forte said. “We don’t like to go through painful experiences. But going through the grieving process and understanding what’s happening — it leads to a healthy process. It is very important to understand this topic.”

Keep In Mind

The six needs of the grieving are:

1. To have your pain witnessed.

2. To express your feelings.

3. To release the burden of guilt.

4. To be free from old wounds.

5. To integrate the pain and the love.

6. To find meaning in life after loss.

The healing process builds resilience — the ability to withstand or recover from difficulties, the grief educator said.

Studies show that one of the most important factors in resilience is having loving and supportive relationships within and outside the family, Forte said.

Relationships that offer encouragement and security can bolster a person’s resilience, she said.

Learn more about AgrAbility and find webinar recordings at www.agrability.org.