We have been grieving a lot since the pandemic hit. Then we found ourselves grieving some more in the past week as we learn more about the confirmation of unmarked graves in residential schools across the country.
These are difficult times for all of us. When we experience loss, we experience emotions such as sadness, anger, and hopelessness. But we must learn to process these emotions and turn them into positive actions so we could make our society a better place to be – both for ourselves and for people around us.
According to psychiatrist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, a grief cycle contains 5 stage – Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. Similar to the Kubler-Ross model, Hospice Yukon developed a Grief Wheel to better understand the journey of grief. The Grief Wheel is based on the circular design of First Nations Medicine Wheel.
Both approaches recognize that the journey is not a linear path – neither loss nor gain is permanent, and we cycle back and forth between the different stages. But we are only able to move forward and embark on new beginning once we have accepted our feelings and integrated new understanding into our life.
Understanding the grief process is the first step of healing. Take time, and be gentle on yourself.