Grief Awareness Week: Honoring Loss, Making Space for Healing
Author: Mistee Denson, NYC 988 Clinical Supervisor
December 2 through 8 marks Grief Awareness Week, a time to acknowledge the many faces of grief and the often-invisible impact it has on mental health.
At Vibrant, we hold space for every person navigating loss, whether recent or long ago, and affirm that grief is not a weakness, but a reflection of love, connection, and humanity.
Grief does not follow a schedule. It doesn’t expire, and it doesn’t always look like sadness. It may show up as numbness, irritability, fatigue, or even anxiety. Some people feel it in their bodies. Others feel it in everyday silence. Grief can be complicated, delayed, cyclical, and still completely valid.
People grieve for many reasons: the death of a loved one, the loss of a relationship, a job, a home, or even the loss of a version of life that once was. Grief can come with any event that may shake up our sense of normalcy. During the holidays, when joy and togetherness are emphasized, grief can feel especially heavy, and the effects of our losses can become even more visible.
Grief and Mental Health
Grief, while natural, can cause unexpected mental health effects, such as depression, anxiety, physical pain, traumatic stress, or prolonged grief disorder. These symptoms can be raw at the start or unexpectedly appear. These symptoms can be felt more intensively if grief goes unacknowledged, unsupported, or stigmatized. Many people may try quickly to “move on,” even when they haven’t fully understood the extent of what they’ve lost.
We must recognize that:
- Grief affects how we function, how we connect, and how we heal.
- There is no right way to grieve, and no roadmap for what will happen after a loss.
- Healing does not mean forgetting. It means learning to live with loss and finding personal tools that can assist in this new world.
- Community, compassion, and time can be some of the most powerful supports.
You Are Not Alone
Grief Awareness Week is a reminder that no one should carry loss in silence. Whether you’re grieving someone who passed years ago or are facing a new loss today, your grief is real, and you don’t have to go through it alone.
Let this week be an invitation to:
- Check in with yourself and others, especially those who may seem “fine.”
- Tell stories, share memories, or light a candle for those you’ve lost.
- Give yourself grace, whatever you’re feeling, or not feeling, is okay.
- Seek out supports that fit your personal needs.
Resources for Grief Support
If you or someone you know is navigating grief, here are some resources that can help:
- Grief.com – Resources, support groups, and education
- What’s Your Grief – Creative and practical tools for coping
Grief is not a problem to solve; it is a part of life to be honored. This Grief Awareness Week, we remember those we’ve lost, support those still mourning, and hold space for healing, however long it takes.
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