This is a guest blog post by Brittany Carroll, M.A.

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“Grieving is looking at the past. It's looking at the present… it's looking at the future, and how all three have just changed in one instant.” - Brittany Carroll, M.A.

A few days ago, I had the honor of speaking with my colleague, Vassia Sarantopoulou, Founder of AntiLoneliness and The Therapy Business Circle, about a highly valuable and personal topic for me: sitting with the pain and uncertainty that goes hand-in-hand with grief.

You can listen to the full conversation between Vassia and I here:

Vassia and I discussed multiple important subtopics within grief, including why would grief therapy help someone in their pain, what does it mean to feel lonely in grief, and how can a griever know when they are “healed” from grief?

Here’s a spoiler for the last topic mentioned: there may never be a time when a griever is completely “healed” from their grief - because grief is not a problem to be solved.

Grief is an experience (an intensely difficult one) that is meant to be moved through.

One of the things I loved about what Vassia and I discussed is the focus on presence in grief. Often times, presence can be a more powerful healer than having the “right” things to say.

What I mean by presence is stillness, companionship; silence even. Knowing someone or something is there with you - not to fix - but to sit alongside you in the discomfort in not having an answer to the “problem” of grief.

Yet, sometimes, that can make moving through grief much more difficult than if grief did just have a black-and-white, open-and-closed solution.

But it doesn’t - and that is part of the uncertainty of grief. It can shake up your whole world, leaving you spinning in the air trying to find a safe place to land.

Photo by Noah Silliman on Unsplash

It takes courage to face these uncomfortable questions that inevitably arise when faced with grief. It is no easy task. But it is possible to find some peace even amidst the uncertainty.

I know because I have experienced (and continue to experience) this myself personally and professionally.

This is where grief therapy can help

As mentioned in our conversation, grief therapy is meant to be a safe, protected space that is wholly dedicated to you. Grief therapy is guided by a trained, compassionate therapist who acts as a soundboard to your pain and suffering, and provides a place that is outside of the influence of your everyday life.

Grief therapy sits together with you and grapples with all the swirling thoughts, the overwhelming emotions, and the confusion that comes with asking:‍

“How can I navigate this new version of my life after my loss?”

It’s true that therapy may not be for everybody, but it’s worth a shot to try it out for yourself, especially about a topic as delicate, multi-layered, and intense as grief and loss.

If you or someone you know is moving through grief and loss, I would highly encourage you to watch or share the video above.‍

You never know how your experience can be reflected in someone else’s story.

Thank you to Vassia for engaging in this important topic with me. Your perspective and experience nourished my own with your words.

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If you’re interested in some extra support in your grief journey, Brittany is happy to see how she can be of assistance. Brittany offers a FREE 30-minute conversation where you can figure out together how to navigate this new version of your life after your loss.