Written by Katelyn Miranda

There is one certainty in this life – we are all going to die. With that truth comes another – we are all going to grieve.

There are those of us among the human species who fall under the trait of Highly Sensitive Person. When grief arrives for an HSP, it doesn’t just knock on the door; it moves in, rearranges the furniture, and lingers in the body long after the initial shock has passed. The experience of loss for an HSP can feel all-encompassing. It’s not just a mental or emotional process – it lives in the nervous system, in the breath, in the way we move through the world. We may need more space, more slowness, more permission to grieve in a way that’s deeply personal and nonlinear. And while it can be isolating to feel things so deeply in a world that often urges us to "move on," there’s also profound wisdom in this sensitivity. It reminds us that grief is not something to be fixed or avoided – but honored, tended to, and witnessed.

What is a Highly Sensitive Person?

The term Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) was coined by Dr. Elaine Aron, and also refers to
Sensory-Processing Sensitivity (SPS). This is not considered a disorder or condition, but rather a personality trait. Dr. Aron states that 15 to 20 percent of the population are HSP. Essentially, the trait of high sensitivity is all about processing information and the world more deeply.

Highly sensitive people are not weak. They are open. Receptive. Attuned. Responsive. Susceptible. There is such a thing called Differential Susceptibility, which refers to the fact that sensitive individuals process everything in their environment so deeply that they are inevitably more affected by both the “good” and the “bad” in their environment.

According to Dr. Elaine Aron, Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS) is thought to have evolved as a way to promote species survival. While some humans evolved to take quick action, highly sensitive people developed a keen awareness of their environment, carefully noticing subtle cues and detecting potential threats, opportunities, or the need for strategic action. This trait is marked by deeper cognitive processing, heightened emotional responsiveness, greater empathy, and sensitivity to sensory input. Rather than being a flaw or disorder, high sensitivity is a biologically-based trait offering important advantages in the right contexts, such as caregiving, leadership, creativity, and intuition.

Stay tuned for more thoughts about grieving as an HSP.

Reconciliation, the culmination of the grief process, represents a delicate yet profound step where the loss is integrated into the person's life in a meaningful way. This is not about "getting over" the loss but finding peace with the reality of it. Reconciliation occurs when the emotional intensity of grief softens, allowing the person to adapt to a life where their loved one is physically absent but emotionally present. It involves recognizing that while the pain of loss may never fully disappear, it is possible to experience moments of joy and connection again. In this phase, individuals start to embrace both the grief and the potential for healing, finding ways to hold onto the memory of their loved one while stepping forward with their life.
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In this stage, a key aspect of reconciliation is the ability to reflect on the relationship and the loss with a more balanced perspective. People may feel a growing sense of acceptance, even though there may still be moments of deep sadness. Over time, the memories of the person may bring a mixture of emotions, where feelings of warmth, gratitude, and even joy begin to blend with the grief. This shift allows individuals to reconcile their present reality with the love and bond they will always carry. There is a new understanding of how to live with the absence—not by erasing the loss, but by learning how to incorporate it into one’s evolving life story.

Reaching reconciliation in the grief process offers a message of hope. It is a testament to the human capacity for resilience and transformation. The process of integrating loss allows people to rediscover themselves and the world around them with a deeper sense of compassion and strength. While grief remains a part of their lives, it no longer defines them. Instead, they honor the love they’ve lost while also allowing space for new experiences and relationships. This delicate balance between sorrow and renewal is a sign that healing is possible, even in the face of profound loss.

Mindfulness can be a powerful tool in easing the pain of grief after the loss of a loved one. Grief often brings a flood of overwhelming emotions—sadness, anger, confusion, and even guilt—that can make it difficult to find moments of peace. Mindfulness, the practice of being fully present in the moment, offers a gentle way to navigate these emotions. By focusing on the present, mindfulness helps to quiet the mind's tendency to ruminate on the past or worry about the future, providing a sense of calm amidst the storm of grief.

Practicing mindfulness during grief doesn't mean avoiding or suppressing emotions; rather, it encourages a compassionate awareness of what you are feeling. This approach allows you to sit with your emotions without being consumed by them. Simple mindfulness techniques, such as deep breathing, body scans, or mindful walking, can help ground you in the present moment, providing relief from the intensity of grief. These practices can also create a space where emotions can be acknowledged and processed in a way that feels manageable, rather than overwhelming.
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The benefits of mindfulness extend beyond just the moments of practice. Over time, mindfulness can cultivate a deeper sense of resilience and emotional balance. It can help you develop a more compassionate relationship with your grief, allowing you to experience it without judgment. This can lead to a gradual easing of the pain, making room for healing and eventually, for moments of peace and acceptance. While mindfulness doesn't take away the grief, it offers a pathway to navigate it with greater ease and self-compassion, helping you find strength and hope on your journey towards healing.

After the loss of a loved one, it’s common to experience heightened sensitivity and lower tolerance levels. Grief often leaves us feeling raw and exposed, as though our emotional defenses have been stripped away. Even small, everyday stressors can feel overwhelming, and things that might not have bothered us before can suddenly seem unbearable. This heightened sensitivity is a natural response to the intense emotions and vulnerability that accompany grief, and it can impact everything from how we interact with others to how we manage daily tasks.

Understanding these changes in emotional sensitivity is an important part of navigating grief. The nervous system is in a heightened state, reacting more strongly to stimuli that would otherwise be manageable. This can lead to feelings of irritability, frustration, or even anger in situations where we might usually feel more at ease. It’s important to acknowledge these feelings without judgment, recognizing that they are a normal part of the grieving process. Giving yourself permission to set boundaries, take breaks, and practice self-care can help in managing this increased sensitivity.

While the heightened sensitivity and lower tolerance levels can be challenging, they are also temporary. Over time, as the intensity of grief begins to lessen, emotional resilience gradually returns. By being gentle with yourself and allowing space for these emotions, you can move through this phase with greater ease. It’s also a time when leaning on supportive relationships can be incredibly helpful, as understanding and compassionate companions can provide a safe space to express and process these intense feelings. With patience and self-compassion, it’s possible to navigate this difficult time and eventually find a place of greater emotional balance and healing.

The loss of a loved one often brings with it the need to learn new roles, a process that can feel both overwhelming and daunting. When someone close to us passes away, the roles they played in our lives—whether as a partner, parent, friend, or caregiver—leave a void that can be challenging to fill. The grieving person may find themselves stepping into responsibilities they never anticipated, such as managing finances, taking care of household tasks, or making decisions that were once shared. This shift can add a layer of stress to the grief process, making it important to approach these changes with patience and self-compassion.

Learning new roles during grief is not just about acquiring new skills; it's also about redefining one's identity in the wake of loss. It can be difficult to adjust to life without the presence of the loved one, and stepping into their role can feel like an emotional burden. However, it's crucial to remember that this is a gradual process, and it's okay to ask for help along the way. Friends, family members, and grief therapists can provide guidance and assistance, easing the transition and ensuring that the grieving person doesn't feel isolated in their new responsibilities.

While the process of learning new roles after a loss is undoubtedly challenging, it can also be an opportunity for growth and empowerment. As individuals adapt to these new responsibilities, they may discover strengths they didn't know they had and develop a deeper sense of independence. Over time, this journey can lead to a renewed sense of purpose and confidence, helping the grieving person find their footing in a world that has been irrevocably changed. Though the path is not easy, it is one that can lead to healing and a greater appreciation for personal strengths and identities that emerge in the process.

Grief, in its profound and often overwhelming nature, can have a significant impact on personal relationships. When a person is grieving, they may withdraw from those around them, feeling a need for solitude or fearing that others won't understand their pain. This withdrawal can create distance in relationships, sometimes leaving loved ones feeling confused or hurt. It's important to recognize that this is a natural response to loss and not a reflection of the value of the relationship. Grief can also manifest as heightened sensitivity, where minor misunderstandings can escalate, straining connections even further.
Understanding these dynamics is key to maintaining healthy relationships during grief. Open communication is essential, even when it feels difficult. Expressing needs and boundaries clearly can help loved ones know how to support the grieving person, while also ensuring that they don't feel shut out. On the other hand, those supporting a grieving person should practice patience and empathy, recognizing that grief can cloud judgment and alter behaviors in ways that do not feel typical. Offering presence and understanding, rather than solutions or advice, can be incredibly comforting.
Despite the challenges, grief can also deepen relationships. As individuals navigate their pain, they may find that the support and compassion they receive from loved ones forge stronger, more meaningful connections. Grief has the potential to bring people closer together, creating a shared experience of love and loss. With time, patience, and open-hearted communication, relationships can not only survive grief but emerge stronger, providing a source of comfort and resilience as healing gradually unfolds.

When faced with the intense emotions of grief, the nervous system often triggers a fight response. This response is part of our survival mechanism, rooted deeply in our biology, designed to protect us from perceived threats. In the context of grief, the fight response can manifest as irritability, anger, or an overwhelming urge to confront or challenge the pain. While this reaction may seem out of place when dealing with loss, it’s the nervous system’s way of trying to regain control in a situation that feels profoundly disempowering.

Understanding this response is a crucial step in healing. The nervous system, in its attempt to defend us, sometimes misinterprets emotional pain as a physical threat, leading to this heightened state of alertness. Recognizing these reactions allows us to address them with compassion rather than self-criticism. Techniques such as deep breathing, mindfulness, and grounding exercises can help calm the nervous system, shifting it out of the fight response and into a more balanced state. It's important to allow yourself to feel these emotions without judgment, knowing that they are a natural part of the grieving process.

Healing the nervous system after experiencing grief is a gradual process, but it is entirely possible. Engaging in regular self-care practices, seeking support from loved ones, and perhaps working with a therapist can all contribute to restoring a sense of safety and calm in the body. Over time, as the nervous system begins to heal, the intense fight responses will lessen, making space for a gentler and more compassionate experience of grief. This journey of healing is not linear, but with patience and support, it leads to a place of greater resilience and peace.

Grief is a profound emotional experience that can significantly impact both the mind and body. When we encounter the loss of a loved one, our nervous system may respond with a "freeze" reaction, a state where the body and mind become temporarily immobilized. This is a natural response to overwhelming stress and can be understood as part of the "fight, flight, or freeze" survival mechanism. During this freeze response, the brain and body may feel numb or disconnected, and it can be challenging to process emotions or engage with the world. Understanding this reaction is crucial, as it validates the complex physical and emotional responses we experience during grief.

Those who are caring for the mourning may not easily understand the freeze response they see in the mourner. And the mourner may not be able to fully express what they are experiencing or what they need in support. It is important to meet those who are grieving without agenda or expectation because their nervous system is overloaded by grief. Offering to help with practical matters and providing a gentle presence can be most supportive.

It is important to approach this healing process with compassion and patience. The journey through grief and the accompanying neurological responses is deeply personal and cannot be rushed. Healing from the freeze response involves working gently with the nervous system to restore a sense of safety and balance. Techniques such as deep breathing, mindfulness, and gentle physical activity can help re-engage the body and mind. Social connection that is supportive and understanding also helps the nervous system feel safe enough to reengage. Additionally, seeking support from a therapist or counselor who specializes in grief can provide a safe space to explore and process emotions. There is hope for healing, and by acknowledging and addressing the body's natural reactions to grief, individuals can find a path forward that honors their loss while fostering resilience and recovery.

The process of mourning begins with the essential and often painful step of acknowledging the reality of the death. This step requires mourners to gently confront the reality of their loss, which can take weeks, months, or even years. During this time, it is not uncommon for mourners to remind themselves repeatedly that their loved one has died. Accepting the permanence of this loss is crucial for healing, though it may be one of the most challenging aspects of the mourning process. Confronting the truth, despite the pain it brings, lays the foundation for moving forward.

Feeling the pain of the loss is another crucial aspect of the grieving process. Bereavement literally means to be torn apart, and embracing the pain that comes with loss is essential to healing. One of the greatest challenges for those accompanying mourners in their grief is to be present to the pain without trying to fix it. Allowing oneself to fully experience the depth of this pain, rather than avoiding or suppressing it, is a critical step towards eventual healing.

Remembering the person who has died is a vital part of the mourning journey. This involves exploring the relationship that existed with the deceased and working to remember them in their entirety, including both positive and negative aspects. By converting the relationship from one of presence to one of memory, mourners can honor the person who has died and keep their memory alive in a meaningful way. This process helps to integrate the loss into the mourner’s life and find a new way to maintain a connection with their loved one.

As the mourner adapts to life without their loved one, developing a new self-identity becomes necessary. The loss of a relationship often means adjusting to new roles and responsibilities in life. This readjustment allows the mourner to create a new sense of wholeness, filling in the gaps left by the deceased. This can be one of the most draining tasks of mourning, as it requires significant emotional and psychological effort to redefine oneself and one’s place in the world.

Searching for meaning in the aftermath of loss is a deeply personal and often spiritual journey. This process often involves an exploration of faith and values, as mourners reevaluate their meaning in life and reasons for continuing to live. It is essential for those supporting mourners to resist the temptation to provide answers to these profound questions. Allowing the mourner to find their own meaning and understanding is a vital part of the healing process, fostering a sense of personal growth and resilience.

Finally, receiving ongoing support from others is crucial for mourners as they navigate their grief. The need for support can last for months or even years, as grief does not follow a set timeline. Even when mourners appear to have adjusted to their loss externally, they may still be processing a great deal internally. After the acute pain of loss subsides, grief often manifests in "bursts," making it essential for mourners to have a network of support that they can rely on over the long term. This continued support helps them to cope with their grief and move towards healing. Our team of sensitive and skilled therapists can help navigate all of these needs!
  
Wolfelt, A.D. (2016) Counseling Skills for Companioning the Mourner. Ft. Collins, CO: Companion Press. 

​Losing loved ones is an inevitable part of living as a human. The times surrounding a loved one’s death can be the most challenging seasons in our lives. Even though loss is a universal human experience, people who are grieving often feel alone and isolated because it seems like no one understands what they are going through. Having a supportive community can provide comfort, solace and opportunities for healing. Finding a grief-oriented community can maximize healing opportunities. 

​Grieving and healing in community is an ancient practice. Before the rise of individual achievement focused societal structures, there were community gathering places and multigenerational homes where people knew how to hold other’s grief. Grief begins healing when it is externalized. We call this expression of grief mourning. We also know that healing happens when our suffering is witnessed and received by a compassionate party. Perhaps more than any other condition, a community of compassionate and understanding witnesses can unlock the power of healing for those who are grieving.

​We believe that community offers opportunities to heal by both hearing and being heard. When we resonate with the stories others are telling, we learn that we are not alone. Sometimes community members verbalize a part of our own experience we haven’t been able to speak about yet. When we are able to see ourselves in another’s story, we are bolstered by the togetherness we find in our common experiences. We also heal when we are able to share our own story in the safety of a group who will hold our experiences with tender compassion. We believe in the power of story-telling; that when we speak of our internal experiences, we are empowered to metabolize and release the pain. And when our sharing is witnessed in a caring and understanding way, we are more able to accept our painful circumstances. When the bereaved are able to give and receive in these ways, the strength of the group can carry all forward in healing. 

We invite all those who are navigating the grief related to the loss of a loved one to join our next Understanding Your Grief Support Group. More information can be found HERE.