1. How is grief different from just being sad?
Grief is broader and more complex than sadness. Sadness is a single emotion, while grief is an ongoing process that can include a range of emotional, cognitive, and physical responses such as anger, guilt, numbness, anxiety, and even brief moments of relief or connection. It tends to be unpredictable and wave-like, rather than steady, and it often impacts sleep, appetite, concentration, and a person’s sense of identity or stability. In clinical terms, grief isn’t something that resolves quickly, it’s something the patient gradually learns to live with and make meaning around over time.

2. What are the different stages and types of grief?
Common stages people may experience include denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. That said, grief doesn’t follow a linear path, patients often move back and forth between these experiences or feel several at once.

There are also different types of grief that show up depending on the situation:

• Normal (uncomplicated) grief: a natural response to loss that, while painful, gradually softens over time as the person adapts;
• Anticipatory grief: begins before a loss actually occurs, often when a loved one is terminally ill;
• Ambiguous grief: without clear closure, such as when someone is physically present but psychologically absent (e.g., dementia), or when there’s no definitive resolution such as a loved one leaving (parent abandoning their children);
• Complicated grief: when the intensity remains prolonged and significantly interferes with functioning.

These are not usually framed as rigid categories, but as ways to help patients make sense of what they’re experiencing.

3. What are healthy ways of coping with grief?
Healthy coping starts with allowing the grief to exist rather than trying to avoid or “fix” it. This can look like:

• Letting emotions come up without judgment;
• Staying connected to safe, supportive people;
• Maintaining basic routines like eating and sleeping as best as possible;
• Using the body as a resource: walking, breathing exercises, grounding;
• Finding ways to maintain a connection to what was lost (rituals, memories, storytelling).

Patients are often guided to focus on regulation rather than trying to eliminate the feelings. The goal isn’t to make the grief go away, it’s to remain grounded and supported enough to move through it.

4. How can someone support a family or friend who is grieving?
The most helpful thing is presence, not perfection. You don’t need the right words, you need consistency and willingness to sit with discomfort. This can look like:

• Checking in regularly, even with simple messages;
• Letting them talk about the person or loss without changing the subject;
• Avoiding platitudes such as “they’re in a better place” or other “silver lining” sayings;
• Offering practical help (meals, errands, childcare);
• Respecting that everyone grieves differently and on their own timeline.

A good rule of thumb: follow their lead, and don’t rush them to feel better.

5. When should someone consider grief counseling?
Grief counseling can be helpful at any point, but is usually recommend when:

• The grief feels overwhelming or unmanageable;
• Daily functioning (sleep, work, relationships) is significantly impacted;
• There’s persistent guilt, anger, or unresolved conflict tied to the loss;
• The person feels stuck, numb, or disconnected for an extended period;
• There’s a history of trauma or complicated relationships with the person being grieved.

You don’t have to wait until things are “severe.” Sometimes support early on can prevent people from becoming isolated or stuck in their grief.

6. What happens during a grief counseling session?
Grief counseling isn’t about forcing someone to “move on.” It’s about creating a space where the person can safely process what the loss means to them. In session, we might:

• Talk through the relationship and the loss in detail;
• Process emotions that feel confusing or conflicting;
• Explore how the loss is impacting identity, roles, and daily life;
• Use grounding or somatic tools when emotions feel overwhelming;
• Work toward integrating the loss, finding a way to carry it without being consumed by it.

At its core, it’s about helping the grieving person feel less alone in the experience and more able to tolerate and understand what they’re going through.