Death is a part of life, and it is something we will all experience in our lives. It is said that every death affects at least 5 people. How we process that loss has been the subject of many psychological discussions since Freud introduced grief into the psychological framework in 1917.

Since then, grief has been the subject of many studies and there is an abundance of theories about how best to process loss. However, most of the theories about grief tend to focus on the psychological, that is, how we make sense of our loss and how we can move forward with our lives. There is little focus on the importance of healing the spiritual self on the pathway to finding peace and acceptance. A more holistic approach is necessary if we are to come to terms with loss and move forward positively.

On spirituality

For many, spirituality implies religious faith. However, we should see spirituality as our connection with our world, our inner self and our core beliefs. Spirituality relates to our souls. It can be seen as looking for meaning in the deepest sense and looking in a way that is personal to us, and us alone.

Death of loss can seriously affect our beliefs and to truly heal, it is important to focus on the head and the heart. To accept loss and move on, we must look inside ourselves, exploring and perhaps even modifying our beliefs to adjust to our lives after loss. This may be particularly pertinent if a death was sudden or unexpected.

Striking a balance

For many, their faith offers them much solace when they are struggling with grief. A belief in the afterlife or a greater plan, plus the teachings, rituals and community of your chosen faith can offer much comfort and offer you a pathway to acceptance.

However, a balanced approach is necessary. We also need to look inwards, at both our psychological needs as well as our spiritual needs if we are to integrate loss into our lives moving forward.

Summary

To properly heal after loss, it is vital that we focus on our heads and how we can make sense of our grief and find ways to accept it and move on with it as part of our lives. But it is also vital that we look within, at our beliefs and connection with the world, finding ways to reconnect with our inner self and make adjustments, if necessary, so we can heal our hearts.

If you are looking for personalised, sensitive bereavement counselling in Harrogate or online, feel free to give me a call at any time and I’d be happy to answer any questions you might have.