Grief Is More Than Loss: Grieving Change

When we hear the word grief, we often think of losing someone we love. And while that is one of the deepest forms of grief, it’s not the only one. Grief shows up any time life changes—when something familiar, comforting, or expected is no longer the same.

Grief is the ache that comes with endings, transitions, and shifts in our identity or circumstances. It’s not limited to death—it’s the quiet, unspoken pain of change.

Everyday Experiences of Grief

You may be grieving if you’ve experienced:

• A relationship ending or changing

• Moving to a new city or leaving behind a home

• Shifts in friendships as life stages evolve

• The loss of health or ability

• Children growing up and leaving home

• A job change, career shift, or retirement

• Even positive changes—like marriage or becoming a parent—that still bring loss of “life before”

These moments remind us that grief is really about what was and the adjustment to what is now.

Why Change Hurts

Humans crave stability and familiarity. Change—even good change—can bring feelings of sadness, fear, or even anger. That doesn’t mean you’re weak; it means you’re human. Grief is your mind and body’s way of processing the shift, helping you integrate what has been lost and adjust to what’s new.

Giving Yourself Permission to Grieve

Many people dismiss their grief because “it’s not as bad as someone else’s.” But comparison only keeps you stuck. Your experience matters, and your grief is valid—no matter what caused it.

Allow yourself to:

• Name the loss. Identifying what has changed makes space for healing.

• Feel the emotions. Sadness, anger, confusion—grief is rarely neat or linear.

• Seek support. Sharing your grief helps ease the isolation that change can bring.

• Honor both the old and the new. Grief and growth often exist side by side.

Moving Through Grief

At Lavender Haven Counseling, I help clients navigate grief in all its forms—not just the loss of people, but the loss of normalcy, identity, or familiar routines. Together, we work on making sense of the changes, building resilience, and finding ways to embrace new chapters while honoring what came before.

Grief isn’t just about missing—it’s about reorienting your life when something shifts. And while change is inevitable, healing is possible.