Grief is something almost everyone experiences, yet few people feel prepared for. During National Grief Awareness Week, conversations around loss become a little louder and a little more honest. We’re reminded that grief isn’t just about death; it’s about any significant change, ending, or transition that reshapes your life.
Whether you’ve lost a loved one, a relationship, a sense of identity, a future you imagined, or something ese entirely, grief can feel overwhelming and unpredictable. One day you may feel totally fine; the next, you struggle to get out of bed. And that’s normal.
One of the most helpful frameworks people often turn to is the 7 stages of grief. Not because grief fits neatly into seven boxes – it absolutely doesn’t – but because it can provide language for what feels unexplainable.
What Are the 7 Stages of Grief?
Grief is not linear. You won’t move from Stage1 to Stage 7 in a tidy order. You might revisit stages, skip some, or feel several at once. These stages are simply touchpoints, and a way to understand what may come up at different parts of your grief journey.
1. Shock and Disbelief
This is often the mind’s first response to loss, creating a sense of emotional numbness or detachment. It acts as a protective buffer, giving you time to slowly absorb what has happened.
You may notice:
- Foggy thinking
- Difficulty absorbing information
- Feeling disconnected from others
- Going through the motions
2. Denial
Denial helps you pace your grief by softening the emotional impact of the loss. It allows reality to settle in gradually, rather than all at once.
It might sound like:
- “This can’t be happening.”
- “Maybe it will get better.”
- “I don’t want to think about it.”
3. Anger
Anger often emerges when the reality of the loss starts to feel unacceptable or unfair. It can be directed outward, inward, or nowhere specific at all. It’s simply a natural release of emotional pressure.
You may feel:
- Frustration
- Resentment
- Unfairness
- Irritability
- Emotional volatility
4. Bargaining
Bargaining reflects the desire to make sense of what happened or regain a feeling of control. It often shows up as “what if” thoughts or a longing to return to how things were.
Common thoughts include:
- “If only I had done something differently…”
- “Maybe there’s a way to fix this.”
- “What would it take to go back to before?”
5. Depression
This stage brings a deep awareness of what has changed and what can’t be undone. It’s a quieter phase, marked by reflection and emotional heaviness rather than outward expression.
It may show up as:
- Heavy sadness
- Withdrawal from others
- Exhaustion
- Hopelessness
- Difficulty enjoying things
6. Testing (or Adjustment)
Here, you begin gently experimenting with ways to cope or create new routines. It’s often subtle, small steps that help you navigate life alongside your grief.
You might:
- Establish new routines
- Reach out for support
- Rely on grounding tools
- Find moments of calm or clarity
7. Acceptance
Acceptance is about learning to live with the loss rather than “getting over” it. It can bring a sense of steadiness and emotional clarity, even while the grief remains part of your life.
Acceptance may feel like:
- Moments of peace
- Increased stability
- Understanding your emotions more clearly
- Adjusting to life in a way that honours your loss
Although the 7 stages of grief provide a helpful structure for understanding the emotional landscape of loss, grief rarely moves through states in a predictable way. Many people describe their experience as circular, wave-like or changing from one day to the next. This doesn’t mean you’re grieving “wrong”; it simply means your grief is human.
88% of people who grieved reported emotional symptoms, however grief can show up in ways that go beyond emotional pain. For some, it affects concentration, memory, sleep, appetite, or energy levels. For others, it shapes identity, relationships, and the way we see the world. You might feel numb, overwhelmed, calm, or unsettled – sometimes all within the same day.
Different Types of Grief
Even though many people relate to the 7 stages of grief, the type of grief your experiencing can influence how your emotions unfold. Understanding this can make your responses feel less confusing and more compassionate.
Anticipatory Grief: This happens when you begin grieving before a loss occurs, often during a long illness, a relationship ending, or a looming life change. You may find yourself preparing emotionally while still holding on.
Complicated or Prolonged Grief: Some losses are so deep that the intensity of grief doesn’t ease over time, making daily life feel heavy or unmanageable. Roughly 1 in 10 bereaved adults are at risk of Prolonged Grief Disorder This is more common that many people realise and can benefit from gentle, professional support.
Delayed Grief: Sometimes grief surfaces weeks, months, or even years after the event. You may have needed to stay strong at the time, or the reality didn’t hit until later.
Cumulative Grief: When multiple losses or big changes happen close together, your emotional capacity can feel stretched thin. Each loss may intensify the next.
Ambiguous Loss: This involves grief without clear closure. For example, estrangement, complicated family dynamics. Or the loss of a relationship that still exists but feels profoundly altered.
There is no “correct” type of grief. These descriptions simply help you understand the shape your grief might be taking.
How Online Therapy Can Support You Through Grief
Grief can be incredibly isolating, even when you’re surrounded by people. Many find it difficult to talk openly about their loss or worry they might burden loved ones who are grieving in their own way. Online therapy creates a private, accessible space where you can express what you’re feeling without pressure or expectations. It allows you to move at your own pace, which is especially important during a time that often feels emotionally unpredictable.
Online support can be a lifeline if leaving the house feels overwhelming, your energy is low, or your routine makes in-person sessions difficult. It also gives you access to therapists who specialise in bereavement and in areas that often overlap with grief, such as trauma, anxiety, or depression. Whether you’re seeking anxiety therapy online, online therapy for depression, or online trauma therapy, the flexibility makes it easier to find the right fit.
There are several therapeutic approaches that can support you through grief. Grief and bereavement therapy online offers a compassionate, understanding space to talk through your loss and make sense of the emotions that come with it. Online CBT therapy can help shift unhelpful thought patterns and reduce feelings like guilt or self-blame. Online DBT therapy is valuable when emotions feel especially intense or difficult to regulate. Online EMDR therapy can be particularly helpful when grief is connected to trauma, sudden loss, or distressing memories.
These approaches aren’t one-size-fits-all – and they don’t have to be. Many therapists work integrative, gently combining different methods depending on what you need week to week. As your grief changes, your therapy can change with you.
When to Seek Additional Support
There’s no timeline for grief. Some people find that their feelings gradually soften; others feel stuck in one of the 7 stages of grief or find the emotional intensity harder to manage as time goes on. Reaching out for support is not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign that your loss mattered, and that you deserve care through it.
You might consider seeking help if:
→ everyday tasks feel increasingly difficult
→ you’re avoiding people or activities you once enjoyed
→ grief is blending with symptoms of anxiety, depression, or trauma
→ you feel overwhelmed, stuck, or emotionally exhausted
→ the loss has deeply affected your functioning, relationships, or identity
Therapy can offer structure, understanding, and stability when the world feels different than it used to. Whether through bereavement-focused work, online trauma therapy, online therapy for depression, or a gentle space to talk, additional support can help you move through your grief with compassion and steadiness.