Honoring Transition and Loss

Changes, while usually uncomfortable, are a normal part of life. For most of us, change can bring about great anxiety or worry. However, when a change involves loss or transition, we can also feel an unsettling amount of sadness or emptiness. If you are going through a season of loss – a relationship, a person, a job, a role – you can acknowledge it by honoring the transition and move toward healing.

Write About It

Journaling is a wonderful way to express your feelings and work through a loss or life transition. You don’t have to be a professional writer to journal. In fact, you can be as messy and disorganized as you would like. The main goal of journaling is to get your feelings out on paper instead of leaving them trapped in your mind.

Remember It Fondly

Part of honoring loss or transition is to go ahead and remember the experience (or person) fondly. You can think of the great things about the experience, as well as what you learned from it. Then, picture it in your mind like a bubble before blowing it away and letting it go.

Don’t Over-Romanticize It

When we lose something or someone, it is our nature to only remember it as nearly perfect. However, nothing in life is perfect. While you certainly don’t need to think of all the bad things tied to the experience, it is wise to keep your memories realistic and not over-romanticized.

Talk About It

All too often, we are nervous to share our emotions. However, talking through your feelings is one of the best ways to find closure and peace before moving on after a loss or transition. If you don’t have a trusted family member or friend to talk to, make an appointment with a therapist.

Recognize Feelings of Grief

A loss or transition can cause us to be on an emotional roller coaster for weeks, months, or even years. Grief or anxiety can be sneaky, and we may find ourselves in an unexplained funk without attributing it to unresolved grief. If you are not quite yourself, even months after your loss, try to settle in with your feelings and see if they are tied to your loss.

If you have experienced a loss in your life, and are feeling like you are missing closure or a direction moving forward, consider making an appointment with Mel Doerr. Through a personalized approach, Mel will learn more about you while giving you feedback and encouragement. You’ll leave your appointment feeling grounded and capable of continuing your healing work.