Grief is often spoken about in ways that make it sound neat and contained. Stages. Timelines. Expectations. But in reality, grief rarely follows a straight line.
It can feel overwhelming one moment and quiet the next. It can show up in ways you don’t expect, in your body, your thoughts, your relationships and your way of being. Sometimes, it can even be hard to recognise what you’re experiencing as grief.
My own experience of grief has felt like an emotional rollercoaster at times — and if I’m honest, there were moments I just wanted to get off the ride.
Grief isn’t just about bereavement
While grief is often associated with the death of someone in our lives, it can also come from many other kinds of loss.
This might include things like:
• The end of a relationship or friendship
• Changes in health
• Losing a sense of identity
• Moving away from a place that felt like home
• Life not turning out the way you had hoped
• Fertility issues
Grief, at its core, is a response to loss — and that loss can take many forms.
There is no “right way” to grieve
There are lots of grief models that try to make sense of what we’re going through. For some, they can feel helpful. For others, they can feel limiting, as though you should be feeling something in a particular order, or moving forward at a certain pace.
The truth is, grief doesn’t move in straight lines. It can zigzag, soften and then return, or sit quietly in the background before suddenly feeling as though your loss happened yesterday. As painful and confusing as this can be, it can be a natural part of grief.
How grief can feel
Grief can affect every part of your being.
Emotionally
It might feel like:
• Sadness, anger, guilt, or numbness
• A sense of longing or emptiness
Physically
It can show up as:
• Tiredness or low energy
• Changes in sleep or appetite
Mentally
You might notice:
• Difficulty concentrating
• Feeling disconnected or overwhelmed
There is no single way grief should feel — and whatever your experience looks like, it is valid.
When support can help
Grief can feel incredibly lonely, even when you’re surrounded by people. Sometimes it can help to have a space where you can talk openly without feeling like a burden, make sense of what you’re feeling at your own pace, and be heard without judgement or expectation.
Counselling can offer a space like that. It won’t fix or take the grief away, but it can help you understand what you’re experiencing and find a way to live alongside your grief that feels more manageable.
A reminder
Grief doesn’t have a timeline and it doesn’t need to be rushed or resolved. This is your experience, and you’re allowed to take your time with it. You don’t have to go through it alone. If you’re looking for grief counselling in Stirling or online, you can find out more about how I work here → Counselling in Stirling & Online | The Empathic Therapist
And you don’t have to make sense of everything today.