Dougy Center's understanding of grief

When someone in our lives dies, it’s natural and normal to grieve. What that grief looks like can be different for everyone.

Grief can be complex and complicated as we try to cope with and adapt to everything that changes.

How others respond to us in our family and larger community impacts our experience, and there are sometimes larger social or historical issues that influence the ways we grieve.

Grief disrupts our lives and often challenges how we see ourselves, how we connect with others, and the beliefs and assumptions we hold about the world.

When someone dies, we can feel very alone and isolated. Supportive connections and community can help.

We may also feel helpless and powerless when someone dies, so finding ways to feel like we have choice and agency in our lives can be empowering. The world can feel unsafe and uncaring when we’re grieving, so finding ways to be physically, emotionally, and psychologically safe helps.

While others may have ideas about how we “should” grieve, everyone’s experience is unique.

There are no “right” or “wrong” ways to feel, and there are no universally predictable “stages” or “phases” or “tasks” a person needs to “follow” in order to grieve “correctly.”

Simply stated, there is no “finish line” for grief. When someone we care about dies, their loss is woven into our identity. It’s okay to miss them for the rest of your life.

If you or someone in your life is grieving, you can find grief resources here. Learn more about Dougy Center's campaign to #UnderstandGrief here.