Worksheet
10 Weird Things That Are Perfectly Normal in Grief
Grief rarely looks like sadness alone. It shows up in the body, disrupts memory, and can even bring back the felt presence of the person who died. This resource, developed with Dr. Kate Truitt, PhD, Clinical Psychologist and Trauma Expert, names ten common but rarely discussed grief experiences. It offers grieving clients language for what they're feeling, and reassurance that none of it signals something has gone wrong.
How to Use This Worksheet
Introduce this resource early in bereavement support, when clients may be alarmed by unfamiliar symptoms. Have clients read through each experience slowly, noting which ones feel familiar. In session, use recognized items as a starting point for deeper exploration of the client's grief process.
Who This Worksheet Is For
This worksheet is designed for grief counselors, psychologists, social workers, and hospice or palliative care professionals supporting clients through loss. It also suits individuals navigating grief who want a normalizing, non-clinical explanation of the physical, emotional, and cognitive changes they're experiencing.
Expected Outcomes
- Greater self-compassion during the grieving process
- Normalized understanding of sensory and presence-related experiences
- Increased insight into the connection between grief and physical symptoms
- Reduced isolation through recognition of shared, common reactions
- Improved readiness to engage in deeper grief processing work
Related Topics
References
Zisook, S., & Shear, K. (2009). Grief and bereavement: What psychiatrists need to know. World Psychiatry, 8(2), 67–74.
Shear, M. K. (2015). Complicated grief. New England Journal of Medicine, 372(2), 153–160.
Stroebe, M., & Schut, H. (1999). The dual process model of coping with bereavement. Death Studies, 23(3), 197–224.
Buckley, T., Sunari, D., Marshall, A., et al. (2012). Physiological correlates of bereavement and the impact of bereavement interventions. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 14(2), 129–139.
O'Connor, M.-F. (2019). Grief: A brief history of research on how body, mind, and brain adapt. Psychosomatic Medicine, 81(8), 731–738.
Castelnovo, A., Cavallotti, S., Gambini, O., & D'Agostino, A. (2015). Post-bereavement hallucinatory experiences: A critical overview. Journal of Affective Disorders, 186, 266–274.
Truitt, K. (2022). Healing in Your Hands: Self-Havening Practices to Harness Neuroplasticity, Heal Traumatic Stress, and Build Resilience. PESI Publishing.
Frequently Asked Questions About 10 Weird Things That Are Perfectly Normal in Grief Resources
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