Ambiguous Grief: Nurturing Compassion in the Healing Journey
In the quest for self-improvement, the topic of grief often remains in the shadows. Typically, we associate grief with loss, particularly the death of a loved one. However, what often goes unacknowledged is that grief is an integral part of the healing journey.
Understanding the Healing Process
When we envision healing, we imagine a better version of ourselves or a brighter future. But what about the journey to reach that “better place”? It involves moments of solitude, letting go, experiencing pain, facing and moving toward that pain, and letting go of people and things that were once familiar. This is the grief phase of healing, where feelings of sadness, abandonment, anger, and bargaining arise, mirroring the stages of grief experienced when losing a loved one.
Ambiguous Grief Explained
Some refer to this as “ambiguous grief,” a sense of loss for someone or something that is still physically present but has changed or is no longer as present in our lives as before. This often necessitates grieving while those individuals or aspects are still part of our lives, albeit in a different capacity.
How to Approach the Grief Stage
The approach to the grief stage varies based on where you are in your journey, your areas of growth, and how you navigate this phase. However, the key to moving through grief is self-compassion. It involves allowing yourself to lean into the pain while offering understanding, grace, and kindness to yourself, just as you would to a friend. Grief is challenging, but practicing self-compassion allows this stage to be a natural part of the healing process rather than an additional burden.
Grief is challenging, but practicing self-compassion allows this stage to be a natural part of the healing process rather than an additional burden.
Why Self-Compassion is Crucial
While grief may not be a widely discussed aspect of the healing journey, it is undeniably a part of it. Rather than avoiding or resenting it, approach it with the same compassion you extend to other stages of your healing journey. If you need support along your healing journey, consider visiting Fuller Life Family Therapy Institute’s website below and connecting with a therapist who aligns with your needs.
Conclusion and Next Steps
Grief is an essential, yet often overlooked, part of healing. By acknowledging and embracing this stage with self-compassion, you can continue your journey toward a better, more fulfilled self. For more guidance, visit Fuller Life Family Therapy Institute.
Resident Therapist
Shayla Johnson
More articles by our professional therapists about grief:
