Guidance to Grow Vilomah - The loss of a child

Dealing with unsuccessful grief

--:--
Grief reactions after the death of a child are similar to those after other losses. But, they are often more intense and last longer. Most people experiencing normal grief and bereavement have a period of sorrow, numbness, and even guilt and anger. Gradually these feelings ease, and it's possible to accept loss and move forward.

For some people, feelings of loss are debilitating and don't improve even after time passes. This is known as unsuccessful grief. In unsuccessful grief, painful emotions are so long lasting and severe that you have trouble recovering from the loss and resuming your own life.

In this episode of Vilomah, Jeanne van den Bergh talks about unsuccessful grief and provides advice on how to navigate through the three stages of grief.

If you would like to join the Guidance to Grow Bereaved Parents Support Group and connect with other parents that have lost a child, and with Jeanne, please visit https://bit.ly/Guidance2Grow.
27 May 2021 English South Africa Kids & Family

Other recent episodes

Don't forget my child

In the pain of losing a child, a profound fear many bereaved parents share is that their child will be forgotten. While society freely celebrates children's milestones, bereaved parents often face silence or even disdain when they remember their lost child. Yet, every child, whether they lived moments or decades,…
10 Oct 5 min

Reflections on how my life changed after the death of my child

The experience of losing a child is an unparalleled loss, frequently misconstrued by most. If you care for a grieving parent or have a connection with one, always keep in mind that even their so-called "better" days are more challenging than one could possibly grasp. Rather than offering advice, what's…
26 Aug 7 min

Reflections on the First Days and Weeks After My Child Died

Losing a child is an indescribable tragedy that inflicts profound emotional and psychological pain upon parents. In the weeks following the death of their child, parents often experience a range of intense emotions and face numerous challenges as they navigate through their grief. In this deeply moving episode, Jeanne van…
3 Jul 8 min

The benefits of journaling through your grief journey

Grief is an inescapable part of life. As human beings, we possess deep, complex, multi-faceted emotions, and it’s our responsibility to learn how we individually need to process those emotions. If you are facing a season of grief keeping a grief journal might be the answer to helping you cope…
18 May 5 min

The death of a child: Guilt and blame as part of the grieving process

The death of a child of any age is a profound, difficult, and painful experience. Crying, sorrow, and anger are common emotions when dealing with death. The most obvious impact on parents is the impact of the ongoing grief and sadness of their child not being here. How do you…
2 Feb 6 min
All episodes