You Don't Have to Grieve Alone
Grief is a journey.
Following the death of a loved one, it’s important to take positive, proactive steps to make sure you’re grieving in a healthy way.
The following information may or may not be relevant to your own circumstances. We are providing this in an attempt to aid you in finding your path through the grieving process.
Our interest and care for the families we serve does not end with the funeral service. We recognize the significant changes and feelings of loss that families experience after the death of a loved one. Therefore, we provide monthly contact with our families through newsletters and personal contacts. We provide “Miracles & Memories,” a Christmas program, for families to recognize their special needs and provide comfort and support.
Grief Support Resources
- The Phases of Grief
- The Firsts You Don't Expect
- National Support Groups
- Grief Support Newsletter
The Phases of Grief
Grief isn’t something you process overnight; in some ways, it’s something you may never fully “get over.” Rather, grief is a journey, and it can encompass a range of moods and reactions. As you mourn the loss of a loved one, it’s important to be prepared for shifting expressions of your grief.
To that end, there is a classic, five-stage model that maps out the grief journey. While your personal experience may not totally align with this model, it can nevertheless be a useful tool for charting your feelings.
The five classic phases of grief include:
1. Denial. In the denial phase, your grief is so fresh and so raw that you may feel like you’re in a state of shock. Those in the denial phase simply want to push forward and try to make it through each day, and they may not spend much time actually thinking about their feelings.
2. Anger. Next comes the anger phase, in which those who have lost a loved one may feel deserted, abandoned by God, or simply resentful over the time they’ve lost with their loved one. Anger is a good and healthy part of the grieving process.
3. Bargaining. In the bargaining phase, it may be tempting to try to “make a deal” with God or with the universe, hoping that you may wake up and find that your loved one’s death was all a dream. Bargaining is often accompanied by intense feelings of guilt.
4. Depression. A season of melancholy is to be expected from those who grieve. Depression may also feel like profound state of emptiness or meaninglessness.
5. Acceptance. Those who “accept” death may still feel quite sad, and this does not mean their grieving journey is over—but it does mean they have reached a healthy place of truly engaging with their feelings and being honest about how grief has impacted them.
No matter how your own grief journey unfolds, always remember: You are not alone in this season of trial.
You will not "get over" the loss of a loved one; you will learn to live with it. You will heal and you will rebuild yourself around the loss you have suffered. You will be whole again but you will never be the same. Nor should you be the same nor would you want to.Elizabeth Kubler-Ross and David Kessler
The Firsts You Don't Expect
In our lifetimes we all have those special life changing moments, perhaps some with excitement and overwhelming joy. While some are met with heartbreak and tears.
We all anticipate a baby's first step, first words and first day of school. We anticipate graduation from High School and College.
We plan on the bigger things like buying your first car, the joy of a wedding and the pride of buying a new home.
What about the other "firsts " that most people don't necessarily like to think about? There are also many firsts after losing a loved one.
It's those first that can seem like a mountain that you will never reach the top of. The first night of sleeping in your home alone, the first month the bills that have to be paid and especially the first anniversary of your loved ones passing.
It is difficult sometimes to realize that some things will ever be the same after you lose a loved one. You may feel left out of your circle of friends because they may feel it will upset you to be around other couples. Unfortunately, they do not realize that their actions may actually be making you feel worse.
Firstly, know that you are not alone; in fact, there are more people dealing with those "firsts" than you know.
Take a deep breath when you are having a "first" moment. Take a look outside and see the beauty of nature. It can be as simple as seeing a hummingbird or a dragonfly or a cloud formation. If you are so inclined: pray or meditate, turn over your grief and stress and sadness to a higher power.
Know that you are not alone in these feelings. There are so many others that are going through the same "First" with you. We at Mobile Memorial Gardens are not just the funeral home, we are your extended family during your time of grief. Our website and office have several grief resources available to you and your family should you need them. If you need to talk about your experience, we are a phone call away.
Our staff is always here for you.
National Support Groups
We understand that the loss of a loved one effects different people in different ways, and sometimes you may need a little extra encouragement to continue on. It is our funeral home's commitment to help establish a healthy grief process.
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AARP Grief and Loss Programs 601 E. Street, NW Washington, DC 20049 1-888-OUR-AARP (1-888-687-2277) AIDS United 1424 K Street, N.W., Suite 200 Washington, DC 20005 (202) 408-4848 Alive Alone P.O. Box 182 Van Wert, OH 45891 ALS Association 1275 K Street NW - Suite 250 Washington, DC 20005 (800) 782-4747 Alzheimer's Association 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17 Chicago, IL 60601 1-800-272-3900 American Association of Suicidology 5221 Wisconsin Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20015 (202) 237-2280 American Cancer Society 250 Williams Street NW Atlanta, GA 30303 1-800-227-2345 American Childhood Cancer Organization 10920 Connecticut Ave. Suite A Kensington MD 20895 855-858-2226 301-962-3520 American Diabetes Association 1701 North Beauregard Street Alexandria, VA 22311 1-800-DIABETES (800-342-2383) American Foundation for AIDS Research 120 Wall Street, 13th Floor New York, NY 10005-3908 (212) 806-1600 American Heart Association 7320 Greenville Ave. Dallas, TX 75231 1-800-AHA-USA-1 American Kidney Fund 11921 Rockville Pike, Suite 300 Rockville, MD 20852 (800) 638-8299 American Liver Foundation 1425 Pomptom Ave. Cedar Grove, NJ 07009-1000 1-800-465-4837 American Lung Association 55 W. Wacker Drive, Suite 1150 Chicago, IL 60601 1-800-LUNGUSA American SIDS Institute 528 Raven Way Naples, Florida 34110 239-431-5425 Association for Death Education and Counseling 111 Deer Lake Road, Suite 100 Deerfield, IL 60015 847-509-0403 Backstoppers 10411 Clayton Road, Suite A5 St. Louis, MO 63131 314-692-0200 Bereaved Parents of the USA Post Office Box 622 St. Peters, MO 63376 800-273-8255 Bereavement Services/RTS Gunderson Health System 1900 South Ave., Mailstop AVS-003 La Crosse, WI 54601 (608) 775-4747 or 800-362-9567 Center for Loss in Multiple Birth (CLIMB), Inc. P.O. Box 91377 Anchorage, AK 99509 (907) 222-5321 The Compassionate Friends P.O. Box 3696 Oak Brook, IL 60522-3696 (630) 990-0010 (877) 969-0010 (Supports families who have experienced the death of a child) Concerns of Police Survivors P.O. Box 3199, So. Highway 5 Camdenton, MO 65020 573-346-4911 |
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Funeral Service Educational Foundation United Cerebral Palsy |