When Grief Feels Heavy: Caring for Yourself in the In-Between
- Letecia Griffin
- 1 hour ago
- 4 min read
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Grief changes the way we move through the world. Thoughts feel heavier. Emotions can be hard to name. And even when surrounded by people, it is possible to feel deeply alone in what you are carrying. In those moments, writing can become a quiet place to land. A space where nothing has to be filtered, explained, or rushed. For many people, healing begins when their inner world finally has somewhere to go.
When Support Feels Out of Reach
There are seasons when you know you need support but getting to therapy just is not possible. Finances, schedules, caregiving, and waitlists can create real barriers. Wanting help and not being able to access it right away can feel discouraging and lonely. Grief does not pause in the meantime. It continues to move through your days, showing up in different ways and in different parts of you. One part may want connection while another wants space. One part may feel steady while another feels tender and overwhelmed.
Writing can be a gentle way to notice and honor those inner experiences. It gives what hurts a place to land and helps you build a more compassionate relationship with yourself.
When therapy is not immediately accessible, structured writing can offer support. Not as a substitute for professional care, but as a steady and private way to process what you are carrying and stay connected to your healing.
A Gentle Structure for Processing Grief
The 30-day program Writing Your Grief, created by grief expert Megan Devine and inspired by her book (affiliate link) It's OK That You're Not OK, offers a compassionate space to process loss without pressure to move on or fix what hurts. Through guided prompts, you are invited to reflect on your emotions, your needs, and the parts of you navigating grief, at your own pace and in your own voice. Many people find that writing helps untangle their thoughts, clarify what support they need, and feel less alone. Some bring their reflections into therapy later. Others return to writing as a grounding practice over time. This approach is shaped by both professional insight and lived experience. Through her organization Refuge in Grief, Megan Devine has helped shift the conversation around loss, reminding us that grief is not something to solve but something to witness and carry with care. Writing becomes one way to listen inward and honor your experience as it unfolds.
You Do Not Have to Be a Writer
You do not need experience or confidence to begin this practice; perfection is entirely unnecessary here. You only need a willingness to show up honestly, allowing the paper to hold what you cannot. Writing is not about being eloquent, crafting beautiful sentences, or making sense of your feelings right away. It is about giving your internal experience somewhere to go; transferring the weight from your mind to the page. Grief does not follow a timeline, and you do not need to "move on" by a certain date. Whether your loss is recent or from years ago, your inner world still deserves care, attention, and a space to exist without judgment.
An Alternative Support, Not a Substitute for Therapy
If therapy is not accessible right now due to time or financial barriers, structured writing can be a meaningful place to begin. It allows you to stay engaged with your healing and connected to your internal experience. At the same time, it is important to name that this program is not therapy and should not replace professional mental health care. It can complement therapy, prepare you for it, or support you between sessions, but it does not take the place of working with a licensed professional when that level of care is needed.
Disclosures |
Writing can be therapeutic, but it is not therapy, medical care, or mental health treatment. I may receive a commission if you choose to enroll in this program through my referral link. I only share resources that align with my work in mental wellness and that I believe may be supportive for those navigating grief and emotional healing. |
A Soft Invitation
If you have been carrying grief and looking for a gentle way to process what you feel, this type of writing experience may offer support. You can explore it privately, move at your own pace, and return to it whenever you need a place for your thoughts and emotions to land.
If this feels aligned, you can learn more about the (affiliate link) Writing Your Grief program offered through PESI and decide whether it fits your current season of life. You deserve support in whatever form is accessible to you right now. Please remember, as you begin this wellness journey, do not worry about getting it perfect; just get it going. Until next time. Happy reading!
"Grief is not a sign of weakness, nor a lack of faith. It is the price of love." ~Queen Elizabeth II
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