All Grief Is Valid: Finding Faith-Based Support for Your Grieving Process

Most of us understand the grieving process primarily as a response to the death of a loved one. This might be the most common form and possibly the type that affects us the deepest, but we experience grief over many different things.

When we grieve, it shows that something or someone added so much value to our lives that we are forever changed without them. In this way, grief is a way of honoring someone or something, and it means that all of its forms are valid.

Types of Grief

Grief Over a Former Life

Many people grieve who they once were. We grieve the bodies we had before motherhood or the life we led when we were single. We might grieve the routines and traditions we had with our spouse and family, the place we lived in, the lifestyle and hobbies we had. No one can dictate the value of a past life to us except the grief we feel for having lost it.

Grief Over a Lost Future

There are few things as crushing as the anticipated future that never happened, like the college we never got into, the job that was dangled but never offered, or the relationship that could’ve been.

It might seem fruitless to grieve over things that never happened, but dashed hopes can be crippling. Rather than repress the sadness we feel for the “what ifs,” we could lean in and fully grieve the things that would have had so much value for us if only we had experienced them.

Grief Over Those Grieving

When we lose something or someone precious, those closest to us are often affected, too. It is a deeply private experience that is difficult to share, but it can also connect us to loved ones like nothing else can. It hurts to see family members going through loss themselves, and a lot of us would love to carry the pain for them.

Grieving For Pets and Animal Companions

For many people, pets are members of the family and best friends, and losing them causes grief that is as valid as any other type of grief. Animals teach us to be protective over helpless things, and they unlock the joy of companionship and affection.

We feel the benefits of having someone dependent on us for more than just food. Grief over lost animal companions is valid, even if society or culture would make you feel weird about it.

Anticipatory Grief

Sometimes, we find ourselves grieving over people who are still alive and part of our lives. Often, we know the time is close for them to pass, as in the case of old age or illness. It might feel improper to grieve a person who is still alive, and often, we try to repress the feelings of grief that have already come to the surface. As strange as it might seem to grieve over a person who is still alive, it is a common and valid form of grief.

Faith-Based Counseling for Your Grieving Process

The grieving process is a part of everyone’s life at some point, and yet no one knows how to handle it when it happens. We all need help occasionally, and that’s why we are here. We can connect you to Christian counselors in Redding, California who can walk with you as you process grief, bereavement, and loss. Contact us at Redding Christian Counseling in California for more information.