THE HEALING POWER OF GRIEF

When we allow ourselves to mourn, we aren't falling apart — we're piecing life back together.

- KATHERINE L. MAGSANOC

Grief isn’t just pain — it is healing in motion. Science shows that grieving is both vital for our health and manageable when done with care.

Grief is often misunderstood as something to rush through or suppress. But research tells us that grieving is not only natural — it can be healthy and necessary.

According to grief researchers at the National Institutes of Health in the U.S., the emotional upheaval after a loss "serves as a guide in reconstructing a sense of balance and meaning in life after the disruption caused by significant loss." Physically too, grief is real. Our brains and bodies respond to loss: neuroscientists note changes in brain activity, stress-hormone surges and elevated cardiovascular risk shortly after bereavement.

If we ignore or deny grief, we may risk prolonged distress and greater health issues.