{"id":11645,"date":"2020-07-08T18:15:31","date_gmt":"2020-07-09T01:15:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/btsadv.wpengine.com\/?p=11645"},"modified":"2022-08-09T13:42:58","modified_gmt":"2022-08-09T20:42:58","slug":"processing-grief","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/breakthesilencedv.org\/?p=11645","title":{"rendered":"Processing Grief"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Loss of any kind is a part of this world. It\u2019s something we, unfortunately, have to learn to cope with. How we process this loss is also a part of this world. H<\/span>ow can process grief in a healthy way? What can we do to cope with loss in our lives? What if you lost someone dear to you because of domestic violence? How do you process that loss?<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kirsten Belaire, Director of Behavioral Health at <\/span>Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center<\/span><\/a> stated, <\/span>\u201cEveryone is unique and so is their grief.\u201d There are natural responses to trauma, grief, and loss, the recovery process, and functions of the brain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Types of Loss<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are so many different types of loss \u2013 from losing a loved one to an illness to mourning the loss of a relationship, and even to a sudden loss of a loved one (including a domestic violence situation). This is not to say that any one loss is more significant than another. It also doesn\u2019t make it easier. We all deal with loss differently and we will each process the grief differently.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belaire<\/span>‘s goal is to lead workshop attendees to an understanding that processing grief in a healthy way is to allow \u201cthe process, not dampening or shutting off the process (like coping with substances or ignoring feelings), and sharing your story\/process.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Do You Process Loss?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I lost one of my best friends suddenly in April 2020. It was such a shock to the system that it literally brought me to my knees. How do you process such a sudden loss? I couldn\u2019t make sense of it. I felt lost.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to <\/span>Merriam-Webster<\/span><\/a>, grief is defined as \u201cdeep and poignant distress caused by or as if by bereavement.\u201d Often, those in bereavement find great difficulty in processing such an extreme and intense emotion.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In her book, <\/span>On Death and Dying<\/span><\/i>, Elizabeth Kubler Ross outlined the five stages of grief:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n