Loss of a Loved One

• Death of a spouse, partner, child, parent, family member, or friend

• Anticipatory grief when a loved one is terminally ill

• Suicide or sudden, traumatic death

Relationship Loss

• Divorce or separation

• Breakup of a long-term or meaningful relationship

• Estrangement from family members

• Loss of a close friendship

Health-Related Loss

• Personal diagnosis of a serious or chronic illness

• Loss of physical ability, mobility, or independence

• Mental health diagnosis or changes in cognitive function

• Caring for someone whose health is declining (caregiver grief)

Life Transitions & Identity Loss

• Job loss or career change

• Retirement

• Loss of purpose or identity

• Empty nest when children leave home

• Aging and loss of youth or vitality

Pregnancy & Fertility Loss

• Miscarriage or stillbirth

• Infertility

• Loss of a pregnancy plan or expectations around parenthood

Loss of Safety, Stability, or Normalcy

• Moving or relocation

• Loss of home due to disaster or foreclosure

• Immigration or displacement

• Major life disruptions (pandemic, war, community trauma)

Pet Loss

• Death of a pet

• Rehoming a pet due to circumstances

Unrecognized or Disenfranchised Grief

• Grieving someone still alive (addiction, dementia, incarceration)

• Loss that others minimize or don’t acknowledge

• Grief over unmet dreams, missed opportunities, or “what could have been”

Trauma-Related Grief

• Abuse or neglect

• Witnessing violence or tragedy

• Survivor’s guilt

Important to Remember

• Grief is not linear—it comes in waves.

• There is no timeline for grief.

• Two people can experience the same loss very differently.

• Grief can show up emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually.