It is staggering the number of people who I have read for who have lost a loved one over the past 22 years. The insight I have gained as a medium is secondary to the understanding I have gained about grief and loss. If there is anything that I have learned it’s that everyone grieves differently. And those who are placed in a a position to help such individuals, be it family or friends, must understand this truth. Well intended people may think that they know best when attempting to help a person who has recently lost a loved one. Well intentioned but misguided friends may want to show them a good time or even suggest support groups to help alleviate the grief. But in all honesty, if the individual is not ready to receive the help, it will only further alienate the individual. Never force the person to do something they are not emotionally ready for, no matter how strongly you believe it will help them.
Allow people to grieve in the manner they see fit. Give them their space. Of course if you suspect that the individual is severely depressed or suicidal, then it is best to involve close and trusted family members to help support him or her by suggesting they receive professional help. The passing of time offers it’s own healing. For those who have suffered the loss of a significant person in their lives, time will never fill the void, but it will allow for it to soften the emotional impact of the loss. The best that you can do is support them in whatever manner they will accept. Give them a chance to heal at their own pace and in their own time frame with the love, care and concern of family and friends.
