Host: Dr. Krista “Ollie” Hopkins

Licensed Psychologist | Consultant | Wellness Coach

https://balanceandbirch.com/drhopkins/

Featuring: Dr. Rebecca “Emjay” Brown

Founder | Psychologist | Sexologist | Wellness Coach

https://balanceandbirch.com/drbrown/

Grief doesn't always begin after a loss. Sometimes, it starts long before, while we're still holding on to someone or something we love. Join psychologists from Balance & Birch Dr. Ollie Hopkins and Dr. Rebecca “Emjay” Brown, in this episode, as they explore the complexities of anticipatory grief and ambiguous loss, offering insight into the emotions, challenges, and experiences that often accompany these types of loss.

Together, they discuss the guilt that can arise when grieving before a loss occurs, the challenges of navigating changing relationships, and why conversations about death and loss are so important. They also explore how to balance the need for solitude with the support of community and why simply showing up for someone can make a meaningful difference.

In this episode, we cover:

• Anticipatory Grief: The act of grieving a loss before it occurs. While commonly associated with the declining health of loved ones or pets, it can also relate to the loss of body parts, jobs, or aspects of one's identity.
• Ambiguous Loss: A type of loss that occurs while a person is still alive, such as in instances of dementia, Alzheimer’s, or the end of a relationship. It involves a shift in personality, cognitive capacity, or the nature of a relationship, even when the individual remains physically present.
• Guilt: We note the common experience of feeling guilty for grieving prematurely, feeling they are "putting it out into the world," or feeling they are failing to cherish the time left with a loved one.
• The Taboo of Death: We emphasized that death is treated as a taboo subject in the United States, which hampers open communication. We encourage listeners to talk openly about end-of-life needs to better support those experiencing loss.
• Navigating Support: We discuss the difficulty of balancing the desire for isolation during grief with the need for community. We suggested that "showing up" providing physical presence without demanding anything from the grieving person is a profound form of support.
• Integration: Rather than aiming for "healing" or "perfection," we highlight "integration" as the core goal of the grieving process. We compare grief to a ball in a jar; the grief does not disappear, but the jar gets larger, providing more space so one touches the grief less frequently.
• Inconvenience: We agree that being in a close community is inherently "inconvenient". Individuals should not be penalized for needing to retreat or isolate during the grieving process, and that genuine community involves being there for one another when that period ends.

Rather than viewing grief as something we need to overcome, this conversation highlights the importance of integration, learning to make space for grief while continuing to live a meaningful life.

💬 Whether you're experiencing loss yourself or supporting someone who is, this episode offers compassionate perspectives on navigating grief, embracing vulnerability, and finding connection through life's most difficult transitions. You are not alone.

🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more conversations on grief, loss, healing, and holistic wellness.

#Grief #MentalHealthAwareness #HealingJourney #TraumaHealing #ChronicIllness #HolisticHealing #EmotionalWellness #BalanceAndBirch #Podcast #healing #MindBodyConnection #PTSD #GriefSupport #balance #loss

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