Grief & Loss

We all at some point will experience a loss of some kind: the death of a loved one, leaving or being fired from a job, even the loss of youth as we age. Loss can be sudden and unexpected or we can see it coming. Regardless of how it comes it is something that we can never truly prepare for or know exactly how we will feel when it happens.

Here at Connections we recently lost a beloved friend, our therapy dog Harley. Although we were a part of his transition into old age we were all still broken hearted at the loss of his presence. He was not just a beloved pet, but he also had the ability to bring people together. In our office we would often find ourselves laughing at what Harley had just done, whether it be following his owner Lisa around, being unwilling to leave one of the counseling rooms or passing the most extremely foul gas ever. He also provided a bright light to our clients, especially the children who could always be heard asking “Is Harley here today?” He will be missed by many.

A few things that we can keep in mind when we experience loss is understanding that it is natural to grieve and feel big waves of sadness. Sometimes it can feel like an emptiness and there is nothing we can think of to fill the void. Or we could feel anger and want to look for someone or something to blame. Often our bodies will experience stress due to the grief and we may get sick or feel more tired than usual. All these emotions are normal and we are allowed to grieve for as long as we need to. Just as it is with waves in the ocean...the closer we get to the shore or our sense of being grounded, the smaller the waves get but this takes time.

Grief and loss can be overwhelming. We can feel extreme anxiety for much of the day, the inability to get out of bed or the sense that it is starting to impact different aspects of our life. We can always ask for some extra support...reach out to friends or family, tend to our basic needs, remind ourselves that this is our grieving process and it is ok, or making an appointment with our counselor.