Disenfranchised grief is a type of grief that isn’t accepted or acknowledged by society. (Merriam-Webster defines “disenfranchised” as being “deprived of some right, privilege, or immunity.”) For example, people may tell the grieving person that they should be “over it” by now. Unfortunately, when someone’s...
In many cases, grief occurs when someone has already suffered a loss. But grief can also result from a loss that is impending but hasn’t yet occurred. When this happens, it’s referred to as “anticipatory grief” or “preparatory grief.” Anticipatory grief commonly affects individuals who...
This summer, many people are already getting their backyards and patios ready for big family BBQs and holiday get-togethers. Summer is definitely a time for relaxing and having some fun with the people you love most. But the summer holiday get-togethers can be extremely hard...
Experiencing the death of a loved one is the hardest thing we can go through in this life. What can make grieving even more challenging is the feeling that we’re somehow doing it wrong. But grieving is a unique experience and there is truly no...
Men have taken on a specific role in human development over the span of hundreds of thousands of years. While roles have very recently shifted somewhat, historically speaking, men have been the ones to fight the wars and build society. And if you think about...
For many people, the holidays are about spending time with loved ones. But for those who have suffered a recent loss, the holidays can be painful and isolating. Here are some ways you can cope with the holidays after a loss: Recognize You are Not...
Few things are more sad or difficult than finding out that a loved one has suffered a personal loss. Many times we fail to reach out to a loved one in grief out of shyness or uncertainty. We worry that we don’t have the words,...
Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance: these are the very well-known five stages of grief, as postulated by Swiss psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross in her 1969 book On Death and Dying . At the time of the book’s publication, very little instruction was given in medical...
When we talk about our mental health, we're talking about much more than a clinical diagnosis. Your mental health also refers to your psychological well-being. Having a healthy psychological well-being means you're able to better manage your emotions as well as your mood. Every day...
You’re getting sleepy… very sleepy… …and when you wake up you will cluck like a chicken. This is what many people think of when they think of hypnosis. But hypnosis is much more than a funny party trick. Hypnotherapy has been used for centuries. In...