Grief Letter Template

What is grief?

Grief is one of those things that every one of us will experience. Yet, it can still be a shock when we realize we will never see that loved one again. There's no right or wrong way to grieve. It's a personal process that many different variables in their routine can alter. There may be an unexpected death in the family or even if the individual is going through a difficult time.

Grief is often spoken about in terms of losing a loved one to death. However, individuals can feel grief for many things. Healthdirect Australia (2020) suggests that individuals can feel grief over:

• Divorce
• The loss of a beloved pet
• Giving up something important
• Work changes
• Terminal illness diagnosis
• The loss of good health due to an accident
• Miscarriage or infertility

Grief can have very impactful emotions for individuals. For some, these feelings may be so significant that thinking about the future can seem impossible. This means that grief can have detrimental impacts on an individual's mental and physical health. The effects of grief can often resemble depression. However, it's important to remember that the full effects of grief may not be felt until a few weeks, months, or even years later. It might even depend on the person's age (e.g., adolescents process grief differently from adults over 30 years of age).

What are grief letters?

Grief letters are a simple way to say goodbye to someone or an opportunity causing someone grief. It can help them accept their emotions and create an understanding of the situation. Other terms for a grief letter might be:

• Goodbye letter
• Sympathy letter
• Condolence letter
• Grief worksheet

It's important to understand that different individuals will have different names for this template. Some people who have lost a loved one might not be able to imagine saying goodbye. Therefore, a goodbye letter is not an appropriate term for them.

The point of the grief letter is to help loved ones express their happiness, describe the best memory with that person, anger, regret, and anything else they want to get off their chest. There is no wrong thing to write in the letter. It's simply a personal resource to support the deeply saddened individual.

This resource's letter aspect helps individuals process grief, allowing them to write freely about their deceased loved ones.

How do grief letters help with the grieving process?

Emotional expression

Grief letters can help individuals express how they're feeling regarding grief. Sometimes, it can be difficult to get those feelings out because they are too overwhelming or no one has experienced what they're going through. Using a grief letter can support individuals in positively acknowledging their emotions.

Cathartic release

Sometimes, individuals need to have a few moments of catharsis when it comes to grief. The act of putting emotions into words on the paper can be cathartic. This helps your client to release pent-up feelings and find a sense of relief.

Closure

A grief letter can support individuals in gaining some closure as well as fostering a sense of goodbye. It's essential for individuals to feel like they can say goodbye to their family members or have the opportunity to reveal a new page in their lives. However, some people don't like to use the term 'goodbye', you must meet the client halfway during this time.

How does our Grief Letter Template work?

Using this Grief Letter Template is simple! Here at Carepatron, we're dedicated to ensuring the lives of mental health practitioners in the clinic are as seamless as possible. That's why we've created an easy-to-follow step-by-step instruction set for you. Check it out:

Step one: Obtain the Grief Letter Template

You can do this by navigating our templates section on the Carepatron OS. From here, you'll want to go ahead and download this workbook to your device by clicking the link. You can utilize the template online on your device or print it out for physical use by your clients.

Step two: Work through the template

It's up to you how you might suggest your client to use this template. You may think it will be better for them to use this workbook alone as a reflection tool and homework task, or you may want to go through it with them to identify matters together in a safe environment. You know your client best, so it will be beneficial if you choose to use this template.

Step three: Check-in

As always, when it comes to therapy, having a check-in with your clients is a great idea. During this time, you might want to ask how things are going with their cognitions, make sure they are tracking well, and discuss any changes that may need to happen to keep pushing forward in their mental healing journey.

Step four: Store the workbook

You may want to store the completed workbook for later. No worries, Carepatron has you covered. You can save the file to our secure OS system that will keep it private if you have utilized the workbook on a device or scan the physical copy to your device and save it.

What are the benefits of using a Grief Letter Template?

However you choose to implement this Grief Letter Template within your clinical sessions, this resource has various benefits. Here are a few benefits a client may experience during their time in therapy.

Memory preservation

When someone close to us passes away, people can be worried about what their life will look like after the dust has settled. As time goes on, memories slowly fade, but keeping them in our minds allows that person to continue living within us. The grief letter can help individuals live through their new reality and remember the good times with their loved ones.

Stress reduction

Writing a letter inside the chaos surrounding the grieving people may promote a sense of order during this time. Writing about the grief you hold can reduce the amount of stress and anxiety by externalizing those emotions.

Personal growth

Writing a letter to a loved one after they have passed can contribute to personal growth, resilience, and the development of coping skills. It can be like keeping a guided journal. Knowing that there is a place for the immense feelings to go (on paper) can feel like a weight lifted off their shoulders.

References

Healthdirect Australia. (2020). Grief and loss. Www.healthdirect.gov.au. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/grief-loss

‍