Grief is a natural response to losing someone or something you love. If you’re struggling with the death of a loved one, a breakup, or the loss of identity or purpose, grief can feel overwhelming. It affects your mind, body, and emotions and negative coping mechanisms for grief can often creep up.
Many people search for things like “how to cope with grief,” “healthy ways to grieve,” or “best coping mechanisms for loss.” The truth is, there’s no single right way to grieve, but there are tools that can help.
Here is our list of healthy, evidence-based grief coping strategies to help you navigate the pain and start healing.
1.Meaning Making after loss
Many grieving people find comfort in creating meaning after their loss. This could be through storytelling, creating memorials, or contributing to causes connected to your loved one.
Psychologists call this “meaning-making,” and it’s linked to lower depression and higher post-traumatic growth.
2. Use the Dual Process model of grief
Instead of expecting yourself to “get over it,” try oscillating between grief-focused activities (like crying or journaling) and life-restoration activities (like going to work or seeing a friend). This concept originates from the Dual Process Model of grief, is widely used in bereavement therapy.
The Dual Process Model, introduced in 1995 by Margaret Stoebe and Henk Schut, suggests that while people are grieving, they alternate between two kinds of stressors: loss-oriented and restoration-oriented. Instead of a linear progression through mourning, this model proposes that adaptive coping entails a dynamic balance between facing and avoiding the difficulties of grief.
You’re not ignoring grief, you’re balancing it with everyday life.
3. Try Grief Therapy or Professional Support
Speaking with a grief counselor, therapist, or mental health professional is one of the most effective ways to process complex emotions.
With the support of therapy, you can explore your physical and emotional responses to your loss. It provides a secure environment in which you may examine the hurt and sadness you’re carrying and learn more about what has led you to this stage of your grieving process. You can gradually progress towards healing and recovery while also starting to integrate new coping mechanisms.
At Heartbroken to Healed, we offer expert 1-to-1 guidance with our grief specialist and educator, Julie Shepherd. If you are seeking grief support, you can book a free consultation here.
4. Expressing Yourself Creatively
Art, writing, music, and even gardening are all valid grief outlets. Creative expression helps process emotional pain, especially when it’s hard to put feelings into words.
Try:
- Journaling your memories
- Making a photo collage
- Writing a letter to your loved one
- Writing a poem
- Painting
- Singing their favourite song
5. Physical Movement
You can reap the benefits of physical activity without going to the gym. You can lower cortisol (the stress hormone) and relieve emotional strain by taking yoga, dancing in your room, or taking gentle walks.
These advantages can be increased by spending time in nature; the sun, clean air, and sounds of nature calm the nervous system.
This coping mechanism can be exercised through our Forest Walks held on the third Thursday of every month.
6. Grounding Techniques
Grounding practices can help you stay present if grieving causes you to feel nervous or distant.
Methods such as:
- The 5-4-3-2-1 Method
- Box Breathing
- Describing your environment
- Using a grounding object
For more information, read our previous article on grounding techniques here.
7. Lean on Social Support
Grief can be eased by spending simply ten minutes conversing with a friend or family member. It can be relieving to have someone observe your experience without attempting to correct it, making you feel less alone
Even messaging someone you trust or joining an online support group might be a good first step if face-to-face interactions are too difficult.