When I share that I specialize in loss, trauma, and abuse, I am often told “that sounds so morbid!”
I like to think of it as helping people heal. Then I usually get questions about what the difference between loss and grief is? That’s easy!
Below is a list of 40+ items that are losses but know not all losses need to be grieved. For example, as a child my family was a military family and that meant we moved a lot! 12 schools in 12 years! Well actually, it was 11 schools in 8 years. Thankfully I was able to complete high school at one school making the total 12. Over my childhood I was blessed to live in Mississippi, South Carolina, Illinois, Florida, Maryland, Hawaii, Missouri, and Texas.
For some people, moving is a loss that needs to be grieved. They miss their home, friends, school, etc. For me, I was excited to be moving to other places, so it was a loss that didn’t need to be grieved.
Browse over the list of losses and note any that might hold emotions for you or are impacting your life.
- Begin or end school
- Business readjustment
- Change in church activities
- Change in eating habits
- Change in financial state
- Change in frequency of arguments
- Change in health of family member
- Change in living conditions
- Change in number of family
- Change in recreation
- Change in residence
- Change in responsibilities at work
- Change in schools
- Change in sleeping habits
- Change in social activities
- Change in working hours or conditions
- Change to different line of work
- Child leaving home
- Christmas
- Death of a close family member
- Death of a close friend
- Death of a spouse
- Dismissal from work
- Divorce
- Foreclosure of mortgage or loan
- Gain a new family member
- Imprisonment
- Loss of Approval
- Loss of Control of my body
- Loss of Safety
- Loss of Trust
- Major mortgage
- Marital reconciliation
- Marital separation
- Marriage
- Minor mortgage or loan
- Minor violation of law
- Outstanding personal achievement
- Personal injury or illness, health crisis
- Pregnancy
- Retirement
- Reunions
- Revision of personal habits
- Sexual difficulties
- Spouse starts or stops work
- Trouble with boss
- Trouble with in-laws
- Vacation
I encourage you to review the noted losses and see if they have impacted you in painful way or causing issues. If so, you might want to speak with me to start the healing process.
