08/07/2025
The last two days have been tricky. Experiencing strong emotions as a therapist can be challenging when I need to be grounded and present for my clients. But it also reminds me of being human and helps me feel closer to my clients.
Grief is fascinating. It blows my mind how our body knows what date it is. Yesterday, it was exactly 18 years since my dad suddenly and unexpectedly passed away. He was 55 when he took his last breath in the same house where his father died at the age of 52. I remember so clearly the phone call with my sister and her telling me that dad had a heart attack and passed in his sleep. I also remember the awful phone call I then had with my mum, who had been overseas. Telling her that dad died was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. There are many reasons why the situation was very complex and my grief very complicated. The loss is still present and the grief still comes up in my body, but I now know that it's safe to give it space.
Here's a blog I wrote a few years ago after our visit home (Czech Republic). A lot came up for me there after spending time in the small town where I used to enjoy long warm summer days and where my dad passed away. I'm reflecting on this about a week before another visit home and I'm feeling both at peace and unsettled at the same time. Such can be the nature of grief 🙏🏻
Grief isn’t linear, it’s not predictable and we’re not supposed to move on. Grief can be confusing, disorienting and most certainly painful. Acknowledging and accepting our grief with all its complexity and as it comes helps us process it and find new ways to stay connected.
