The stages of grief describe a process that many people find recognizable, but they are not a one-size-fits-all journey. Some people may not experience all the stages, or they may move through them in a different order. Others may revisit certain stages multiple times. The main point is that these stages are descriptive, not prescriptive. They’re not a checklist to follow but rather a way to understand the complex and often beautifully messy emotions that accompany loss.

Grief can be overwhelming, and finding meaning in loss is a process that unfolds over time. It’s important to recognize that meaning is relative and deeply personal. It’s not something that can be forced or rushed. You might not find meaning until months or even years after the loss, and that’s okay. It’s also crucial to understand that finding meaning doesn’t equate to fully understanding why someone died or why you experienced a particular loss. Meaning doesn’t diminish the pain or the value of what you’ve lost. Even when you find meaning, it doesn’t make the loss any less significant or any easier to bear.

It’s natural to search for answers or try to make sense of why loss happens. However, it’s important to remember that your loss is not a test, a lesson, or a blessing in disguise. Loss is simply a part of life, and it can be devastating. Your pain is real, and it deserves to be acknowledged. Grief is not something to be “handled” or “managed” in a way that diminishes its impact.

It’s common to experience cycles of rumination during grief, where you may repeatedly think about what could have been or what was lost. MBCT offers techniques to gently interrupt these cycles, helping you to redirect your focus and reduce the emotional toll of persistent rumination.

Grief can make you feel emotionally vulnerable. MBCT helps you build resilience by fostering a mindful relationship with your emotions, enabling you to experience and process them without being overwhelmed.

Through mindfulness, MBCT helps create a space where you can explore the meaning of your loss without forcing understanding or closure. This space allows for a more organic process of finding personal meaning in your own time and way.

Grief can often pull you into the past, reliving memories, or into the future, fearing what’s to come. MBCT encourages you to anchor yourself in the present moment, helping you to face your emotions as they arise without becoming overwhelmed by them.

Only you can find your own meaning in loss. This process is unique to each individual and cannot be dictated by others. It’s about what resonates with you personally and what helps you make sense of your experience. Over time, meaningful connections and memories can gradually replace the sharpness of the pain. This doesn’t mean the loss goes away, but it can begin to coexist with a sense of meaning that you create for yourself.

Grief isn’t limited to the loss of a loved one; it can also be acute when you experience a loss of identity—who you thought you were, the life you envisioned, or the roles you once held. This type of grief can be just as profound, and it requires the same compassion and understanding as other forms of loss.

As a therapist, I offer a compassionate and safe space where you can explore your grief in a way that honors your unique journey. Together, we can work through the emotions that arise, whether they align with the traditional stages of grief or take a different form. My approach integrates Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy to support you in finding your own meaning, without imposing expectations or timelines.
If you’re struggling with grief—whether it’s from the loss of a loved one, a significant life change, or a shift in your identity—I’m here to help. Together, we can navigate the complexities of your grief, allowing you to process your emotions and find a path forward that feels meaningful and true to you.

• Breaking Cycles of Rumination: 

Grief can bring up a whirlwind of emotions and thoughts, some of which may be challenging or uncomfortable. MBCT teaches you to observe these thoughts and feelings without judgment, allowing you to acknowledge your grief without getting entangled in it.

• Cultivating Present-Moment Awareness:

How MBCT Can Help with Grief

Guidelines for Finding Meaning in Loss

Your Loss is Valid

• Observing Thoughts and Emotions Non-Judgmentally: 

• Building Emotional Resilience: 

• Creating Space for Meaning: 

Finding Your Own Meaning

Grieving the Loss of Identity

How I Can Support You

Understanding the Stages of Grief

Grief is a deeply personal experience that doesn’t follow a prescribed path. The well-known five stages of grief—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance—were never intended to be a rigid framework for how one should grieve. Instead, they offer a general description of the emotions many people experience as they process loss. It’s important to remember that each person grieves in their own unique way, and these stages are not meant to neatly categorize your emotions.

Grief Therapy