Bereavement
In this part, we look at the grief journey. We start with some historical perspectives of death and some theories about grief, and then cover the various emotions you might feel. We talk about the people you’ve loved and lost—those nearest and dearest—such as parents, spouses, and children. But we also cover other relatives, co-workers, classmates, teachers, and pets. Sometimes you’re taken by surprise by the strength of your feelings about someone’s death. We may expect to grieve the most for close family members, and we do. Yet a favorite teacher’s death or the loss of a beloved pet can hurt more than the passing away of some relatives.
We also go over how to support the bereaved. There are things you can do and say that are helpful and comforting, and there are things you can say and do (with the best of intentions) that can cause pain to those who are grieving.