Guilt is the grit of grief. Learning to carry on with life when a loved one dies can make us feel guilty. How can we carry on in their absence?
Growing around grief is a model created by grief counsellor Lois Tonkin. Tonkin developed the model after speaking to a client about the death of their child. The client told Tonkin that at first grief filled every part of her life. She drew a picture with a circle to represent her life and shading to indicate her grief. It was all consuming.
As we carry on living, what comes as a relief is the realisation that we don’t leave our loved ones behind. We carry our grief with us. Our life changes, and they are with us, walking alongside us in our hearts.
Learning to carry our grief whilst living takes courage, creative tools and support. Engaging in this process shows us that we can grow a new life which includes our loss.
Sign up for my practitioner training, ‘Working and Understanding Bereavement and Loss: Unpack your Invisible Backpack of Grief using Creative Activities
Image by Cruse Support.
