Grief and Loss - Articles - Emotional Wellness - Commonwealth of Virginia EAP

An Individual's Reactions to Bereavement

Losing someone you love or care for is a painful experience.

Anniversary Reactions

On the anniversary of a traumatic event, some survivors have an increase in distress.

Anticipatory Grief

Anticipatory grief is the normal mourning that occurs when a person or a family is expecting a death.

Behavioral Health During Times of Social Distancing, Quarantine, and Isolation

This article describes feelings and thoughts you may have during and after social distancing, quarantine, and isolation.

Being Supportive to Someone Who Has Experienced Trauma

When a person experiences trauma, caring and appropriate support from the people around them can help them heal and move forward.

Canceled by COVID-19: Managing Disappointment

In addition to fear and anxiety, COVID-19 is causing many to struggle with feelings of disappointment.

Caregiver Grief After a Loved One's Death

The experience of grief after the death of a loved one is almost always painful, but the emotions can be different and sometimes complicated when you have been that person's caregiver.

Casualty and Death Notifications: Delivery and Follow-Up

Typically, legal authorities make the official death notifications to family members following a traumatic event or disaster.

Children and Grief

A child's grief process is different from an adult's.

Children and Grief: Developmental Stages

Children at different stages of development have different understandings of death and the events near death.

Choices for Care When Treatment May Not Be an Option

When dealing with a terminal illness, like advanced cancer, patients have different goals for their care, which may change over time.

Choosing a Funeral Provider and Buying a Cemetery Site

Comparison shopping can help you make informed and thoughtful decisions about funeral and burial arrangements.

Coping After Terrorism (Part 1)

This information is intended to help you understand reactions to an act of terrorism or mass violence.

Coping After Terrorism (Part 2)

Many victims of terrorism have walked this long road before you.

Coping After Trauma: When to Ask for Help

After a traumatic event, problems may come and go. It's important to know when to ask for help.

Coping with a Traumatic Event

Traumatic events affect survivors, rescue workers, and the friends and relatives of victims who have been involved.

Coping with Crime Victimization

Anyone can become a victim of a crime. If it happens to you or someone you love, here are some important points to remember.

Coping with Grief After a Sudden or Unexpected Death

The death of someone close to you is never easy, but it can be even more difficult when it occurs suddenly or unexpectedly.

Coping with Grief After Community Violence

It is not uncommon for individuals and communities as a whole to experience grief reactions and anger after an incident of community violence.

Coping with Grief: Life After Loss

The death of a loved one can affect how you feel, how you act, and what you think. Together, these reactions are called grief.

Coping with the Death of a Student or Staff Member (Part 1)

The sadness and sense of loss that results from the death of someone close can impact significantly a student's social and emotional health as well as his or her ability to learn at school.

Coping with the Death of a Student or Staff Member (Part 2)

The type of information schools should or should not share or can or cannot provide in the case of death varies based on the specific incident.

Coping with the Death of a Student or Staff Member (Part 3)

There are two legislative authorities for releasing student information: Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

Coping with the Death of a Student or Staff Member (Part 4)

Students often benefit from the opportunity to talk in small groups with their peers and teachers, or individually, about a death and their own associated reactions and feelings.

Coworkers Facing Grief Together

The news hits hard: A coworker has died. Maybe you knew the person really well, maybe you didn't, but in either case the news momentarily freezes you, prompting you to consider the fragility of life and the priorities you bring to it.

Cultural Responses to Grief and Loss

Cultures have different ways of coping with death.

Culture and Response to Grief and Mourning

People cope with the loss of a loved one in different ways.

Dealing with Difficult Emotions

Happiness and joy are wonderful emotions—but they aren't the only ones.

Dealing with Trauma: Recovering from Frightening Events

Traumatic events affect survivors, rescue workers, and the friends and relatives of victims who have been involved.

Death of a Parent

When a child's parent has died, it feels like the worst possible thing that could happen has happened. Shock, disbelief, anger, sadness, and guilt are just a few of the things the surviving child may be feeling.

Disaster Anniversaries and Trigger Events

Learn how anniversaries of disasters and other trigger events may renew symptoms of emotional distress in disaster survivors.

Emotional Numbness: How to Recognize and Treat It

After a trauma or an extremely stressful event, it's not uncommon to feel emotionally numb.

Funeral Costs: Services and Products

Funeral costs include basic services fee, charges for other services and merchandise, and cash advances.

Funeral Planning Tips and Consumer Rights

When a loved one dies, grieving family members and friends often are confronted with dozens of decisions about the funeral. These tips may help.

Funeral Terms and Contact Information

This article provides a glossary of terms you will encounter when planning a funeral.

Grief, Bereavement, and Coping with Loss

People cope with the loss of a loved one in different ways.

Grief, Bereavement, and Coping with Loss: Treatment of Grief

Most bereaved people work through grief and recover within the first six months to two years.

Grief, Bereavement, and Coping with Loss: Types of Grief Reactions

Anticipatory grief occurs when a death is expected, but can occur before it happens.

Grieving the Death of an LGBTQ+ Partner

Every person who is grieving the loss of a loved one deserves to have their feelings validated, their love for the deceased person recognized.

Grieving the Loss of a Parent

When a parent dies, your world changes. You may be an adult now, but all your life you have also been your parent's child.

Grieving the Loss of an Adult Sibling

The loss of an adult sibling can be deeply felt, sometimes with complicated emotions.

Guidelines for Student or Staff Sudden Death (Part 1)

Following a traumatic death, people can feel a sense of loss for at least 2 years.

Guidelines for Student or Staff Sudden Death (Part 2)

Youth suicide will not decrease without community prevention and intervention efforts.

Guidelines for Student or Staff Sudden Death (Part 3)

Ninety-five percent of youth suicides can be prevented.

Helping Someone You Love Who Has Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

When someone you love has PTSD, it doesn't just affect them. It can also affect you and the other people in their life.

Helping Your Child Cope with Death

There are healthy ways to teach your child to cope with grief when there is a death in the family.

How Do You Care for Someone With a Disability, Chronic Illness, or Injury?

Be sure you and the person you care for understand the medical condition and its implications to the fullest extent possible. With the patient's permission, health professionals can have frank conversations with caregivers about treatment.

How to Deal with Grief

Grief is the normal response of sorrow, emotion, and confusion that comes from losing someone or something important to you.

How to Listen to Someone Who Is Hurting

Whenever people face bereavement, injury, or other kinds of trauma, they need to talk about it in order to heal. To talk, they need willing listeners.

How You Can Help Your Grieving Parent

In time, grief will diminish, although it may take a year or longer. One of the best gifts you can give your parent is patience and understanding.

Individual's Reactions to Death in Service: When a Coworker Dies

The workplace is more than a location where people put in 40 hours and collect a paycheck.

Individual's Reactions to Traumatic Events

A traumatic event, whether an act of violence or terrorism, a disaster, or an accident, turns a person's life upside down.

Life After a Job Loss

You're not alone if you've found yourself without a job. Millions of people have involuntarily lost jobs in the last several years.

Life After a Layoff

Dismissed employees often go through five emotional stages, and you can benefit from understanding these stages and how they might affect you.

Living with a Chronic Illness: Dealing with Feelings

Learning that you have a long-term (chronic) illness can bring up many different feelings.

Living with a Chronic Illness: Reaching Out to Others

A chronic illness is a long-term health condition that may not have a cure.

Maintain a Healthy State of Mind: Adults (Part 1)

In the current climate of tension around terrorist attacks and other disasters, people may often react to such events with increased stress, a sense of uneasiness, and a variety of behavior changes.

Maintain a Healthy State of Mind: Adults (Part 2)

In the current climate of tension around terrorist attacks and other disasters, people may often react to such events with increased stress, a sense of uneasiness, and a variety of behavior changes.

Maintain a Healthy State of Mind: High School Students (Part 1)

Disasters like hurricanes, tsunamis, the September 11, 2001, attacks, and school shootings are upsetting.

Maintain a Healthy State of Mind: High School Students (Part 2)

Disasters like hurricanes, tsunamis, the September 11, 2001, attacks, and school shootings are upsetting.

Maintain a Healthy State of Mind: Middle School Students

When people watch news reports about natural disasters, terrorist attacks, or school shootings, they may feel confused and scared.

Maintain a Healthy State of Mind: Parents and Caregivers (Part 1)

Children base their reactions in part on what they see from the adults around them. When parents and caregivers deal with a disaster calmly and confidently, they can provide the best support for their children.

Maintain a Healthy State of Mind: Parents and Caregivers (Part 2)

Children base their reactions in part on what they see from the adults around them. When parents and caregivers deal with a disaster calmly and confidently, they can provide the best support for their children.

Maintain a Healthy State of Mind: Seniors (Part 1)

Being mentally and emotionally prepared is the best way to reduce the effects of natural disaster or terrorism.

Maintain a Healthy State of Mind: Seniors (Part 2)

Being mentally and emotionally prepared is the best way to reduce the effects of natural disaster or terrorism.

Maintaining Caution During the COVID-19 Pandemic

After months of taking precautions during the COVID-19 pandemic, many have grown weary of the limits placed on activities and the extra steps to take.

Managing Grief After Disaster (Part 1)

Disasters leave many people suddenly bereaved of spouses, children, parents, close friends, and coworkers.

Managing Grief After Disaster (Part 2)

When grief goes on longer than is healthy or when it is overwhelming, a diagnosis of traumatic grief might be appropriate.

Managing Grief After Disaster (Part 3)

Bereavement is a risk factor for a range of mental and physical health problems.

Managing Grief After Disaster (Part 4)

It goes without saying that the loss of a close relationship permanently affects the bereaved person. It is not reasonable to think that one can recover from such a loss or resolve the loss.

Managing Grief During the Holidays

The holidays are known as a time of joy and cheer, but for people who have lost someone, this time of the year can be filled with pain and sorrow.

Managing Stress: Tips for Survivors of a Traumatic Event

It is common to show signs of stress after exposure to a traumatic event.

Miscarriage and Stillbirth

Few people think about losing a child—but the truth is that pregnancy loss is fairly common.

Mourning the Death of a Spouse or Domestic Partner: Part 1

When your spouse or domestic partner dies, your world changes. You are in mourning%mdash;feeling grief and sorrow at the loss. You may feel numb, shocked, and fearful.

Mourning the Death of a Spouse or Domestic Partner: Part 2

After years of being part of a couple, it can be upsetting to be alone. Many people find it helps to have things to do every day. Write down your weekly plans.

Planning Your Own Funeral

To help relieve their families, an increasing number of people are planning their own funerals.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Relationships

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects not only the person who has experienced trauma; it can affect their spouse or partner and family as well.

Preventing Violence After a Natural Disaster (Part 1)

The increased stress associated with disruptions in families; challenges in meeting daily needs such as food, water, and shelter; and disruptions in health and law enforcement services can increase the possibility of violence.

Preventing Violence After a Natural Disaster (Part 2)

The increased stress associated with disruptions in families; challenges in meeting daily needs such as food, water, and shelter; and disruptions in health and law enforcement services can increase the possibility of violence.

Processing the Loss of a Family Member by Suicide

When you are made aware that a loved one, a family member, or a close friend has died by suicide, your world may come to a brisk halt.

Recovering from the Death of a Coworker

The death of a coworker is a painful experience under any circumstance and even more difficult if it was unexpected. Recovery of individuals and of your team itself can be supported by the grief leadership provided by the team's manager.

Secondary Trauma: When You're Affected by Another Person's Traumatic Experience

It's possible to have stress reactions to a traumatic event without experiencing the event yourself.

Sharing Your Feelings About Cancer

Talking about your feelings can help you deal with your cancer.

Suggestions for Speaking with Bereaved Individuals

Supporting bereaved individuals can sometimes be difficult and uncomfortable.

Supervisors Can Help Ease Employees' Grief

Mourning doesn't have to be an awkward topic.

Surviving Survivor Guilt

One of the many emotions survivors of a tragedy experience that is not much talked about is survivor guilt.

Talking to Your Kids About Death

It's hard to explain to your kids when a relative or pet dies. It's harder to find the words if you're grieving yourself.

Tips for Talking to Children and Youth After Traumatic Events

Traumatic events, such as shootings, bombings, or other violent acts, can leave children feeling frightened, confused, and insecure.

Tips for Talking to Children and Youth After Traumatic Events: A Guide for Parents and Educators

Children respond to traumatic events, such as car crashes or violent acts, in many different ways. Knowing the signs common to different age groups can help parents and teachers recognize problems and respond appropriately.

Tornadoes and Severe Storms

Tornadoes are outgrowths of powerful thunderstorms that appear as rotating, funnel-shaped clouds.

Toxic Positivity

Well-meaning messages of positivity may seem like they're helping to lift another person's spirits, but they can do just the opposite.

Types of Funerals

Every family is different, and not everyone wants the same type of funeral.

Understanding and Dealing with Racial Trauma

Racial trauma is the cumulative traumatic effect of repeated experiences of racism and discrimination, including exposure to media coverage of acts of racism and race-based violence.

Unexpected Death and COVID-19

Death is never an easy thing to process, especially when it happens unexpectedly.

Warning Signs and Risk Factors for Emotional Distress

Learn about the common warning signs and risk factors for emotional distress that children, adults, and first responders often experience.

What to Do When a Loved One Dies: Part 1

It's something no one really likes to think about, or plan for, but you usually find yourself dealing with it at one time or another. Just what do you do when a loved one dies?

What to Do When a Loved One Dies: Part 2

It's something no one really likes to think about, or plan for, but you usually find yourself dealing with it at one time or another. Just what do you do when a loved one dies?

When a Parent Has Cancer: How Teens Can Help Parents

This article offers tips and information on things that other teens have done to help their parent at home. Pick one or two things to try each week.

When a Parent Has Cancer: Taking Care Of Yourself—Teens

It's important to stay fit%mdash;both inside and out. This article offers tips to help you keep on track during this experience.

When a Parent Has Cancer: Teens—Finding Support

It may not be easy to reach out for support%mdash;but there are people who can help you. Read on to find out what's worked for other teens.

When Someone You Love Is Being Treated for Cancer: Adjusting to Being a Caregiver

You may have been an active part of someone's life before cancer, but perhaps now the way you support that person is different.

When Someone You Love Is Being Treated for Cancer: Part 1—Caring for Yourself

You may feel that your needs aren't important right now. But caring for your own needs, hopes, and desires is important to give you the strength to carry on.

When Someone You Love Is Being Treated for Cancer: Part 2—Caring for Yourself

You may find yourself so busy and concerned about your loved one that you don't pay attention to your own physical health.

When You and Your Parent Are Grieving

It is never easy to console someone whose spouse has died, but it can be especially challenging when the deceased is your parent. How can you comfort your surviving parent while dealing with your own loss?

You're Safer, They're Not: Coping with Separation and Guilt in a Crisis

In a crisis such as an armed conflict or a natural disaster, families can be separated when some members move to safety while others remain behind.

Benefits with Commonwealth of Virginia Members

Explore more about Grief and Loss through these resources

An Individual's Reactions to Bereavement

Anniversary Reactions

Anticipatory Grief

Behavioral Health During Times of Social Distancing, Quarantine, and Isolation

Being Supportive to Someone Who Has Experienced Trauma

Canceled by COVID-19: Managing Disappointment

Caregiver Grief After a Loved One's Death

Casualty and Death Notifications: Delivery and Follow-Up

Children and Grief

Children and Grief: Developmental Stages

Choices for Care When Treatment May Not Be an Option

Choosing a Funeral Provider and Buying a Cemetery Site

Coping After Terrorism (Part 1)

Coping After Terrorism (Part 2)

Coping After Trauma: When to Ask for Help

Coping with a Traumatic Event

Coping with Crime Victimization

Coping with Grief After a Sudden or Unexpected Death

Coping with Grief After Community Violence

Coping with Grief: Life After Loss

Coping with the Death of a Student or Staff Member (Part 1)

Coping with the Death of a Student or Staff Member (Part 2)

Coping with the Death of a Student or Staff Member (Part 3)

Coping with the Death of a Student or Staff Member (Part 4)

Coworkers Facing Grief Together

Cultural Responses to Grief and Loss

Culture and Response to Grief and Mourning

Dealing with Difficult Emotions

Dealing with Trauma: Recovering from Frightening Events

Death of a Parent

Disaster Anniversaries and Trigger Events

Emotional Numbness: How to Recognize and Treat It

Funeral Costs: Services and Products

Funeral Planning Tips and Consumer Rights

Funeral Terms and Contact Information

Grief, Bereavement, and Coping with Loss

Grief, Bereavement, and Coping with Loss: Treatment of Grief

Grief, Bereavement, and Coping with Loss: Types of Grief Reactions

Grieving the Death of an LGBTQ+ Partner

Grieving the Loss of a Parent

Grieving the Loss of an Adult Sibling

Guidelines for Student or Staff Sudden Death (Part 1)

Guidelines for Student or Staff Sudden Death (Part 2)

Guidelines for Student or Staff Sudden Death (Part 3)

Helping Someone You Love Who Has Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Helping Your Child Cope with Death

How Do You Care for Someone With a Disability, Chronic Illness, or Injury?

How to Deal with Grief

How to Listen to Someone Who Is Hurting

How You Can Help Your Grieving Parent

Individual's Reactions to Death in Service: When a Coworker Dies

Individual's Reactions to Traumatic Events

Life After a Job Loss

Life After a Layoff

Living with a Chronic Illness: Dealing with Feelings

Living with a Chronic Illness: Reaching Out to Others

Maintain a Healthy State of Mind: Adults (Part 1)

Maintain a Healthy State of Mind: Adults (Part 2)

Maintain a Healthy State of Mind: High School Students (Part 1)

Maintain a Healthy State of Mind: High School Students (Part 2)

Maintain a Healthy State of Mind: Middle School Students

Maintain a Healthy State of Mind: Parents and Caregivers (Part 1)

Maintain a Healthy State of Mind: Parents and Caregivers (Part 2)

Maintain a Healthy State of Mind: Seniors (Part 1)

Maintain a Healthy State of Mind: Seniors (Part 2)

Maintaining Caution During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Managing Grief After Disaster (Part 1)

Managing Grief After Disaster (Part 2)

Managing Grief After Disaster (Part 3)

Managing Grief After Disaster (Part 4)

Managing Grief During the Holidays

Managing Stress: Tips for Survivors of a Traumatic Event

Miscarriage and Stillbirth

Mourning the Death of a Spouse or Domestic Partner: Part 1

Mourning the Death of a Spouse or Domestic Partner: Part 2

Planning Your Own Funeral

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Relationships

Preventing Violence After a Natural Disaster (Part 1)