Navigating Grief Without Losing Yourself

In my work as a psychic reader, I have worked with many people navigating grief. Over the years, I have witnessed how people process loss and transition differently.

I have often had to guide clients toward grounding, self-trust, and setting compassionate boundaries. And, as life would have it, I recently had to draw on that wisdom and apply it to my own family.

My father was recently admitted to hospice care at his local nursing home after spending a week in the hospital. His prognosis was poor.

As our family transitioned to this new phase of care, I stayed in touch with loved ones and made decisions centered on his comfort and dignity.

At the same time, I made a conscious effort to protect my emotional energy and maintain healthy boundaries so that I could stay grounded.

In these circumstances  I’ve been grappling with a kind of grief that isn’t often acknowledged: the grief of realizing someone you love is no longer the person they once were.

Even when they are physically present, the relationship shifts. There can be a quiet heartbreak in adjusting to the present while remembering the past.

There is also grief in watching a family reorganize itself. During times of transition, long-standing dynamics often change. Some family connections deepen and some relationships no longer operate as they once did. This can also feel like a loss in terms of shared understanding and how things “used to be.” Sudden changes in family circumstances tend to reveal where everyone actually stands.

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