Grief and loss

What are grief and loss?

Grief is a common and natural response to loss. There are no rules about what a person can grieve about. It can be the loss of a loved one, relationship, pregnancy, fertility, health, living situation, pet, employment, precious possession, or way of life.  

When a person is grieving a loss, it can affect every part of life including emotions, thoughts, behaviours, physical health, sense of self, identity, spirituality, and relationships. Complex feelings of sadness, anger, anxiety, shock, regret, relief, irritation, numbness or overwhelm are normal. 

There is no right or wrong way to grieve. Everyone experiences grief differently. There is no set pattern or length of time you should grieve for. Grief swings on a pendulum between feeling the loss and trying to move forward. The time on each side of the pendulum can be minutes, hours, days, or months.  

While grief is a unique experience, sharing your thoughts, feelings, and situation in a comfortable space can help you work through the loss.  

Support at Curtin

Use the support network at Curtin University to get support for your grief from a loss. Professional confidentiality is taken seriously at Curtin’s Psychological and Counselling Services and AccessAbility Services, so any information discussed will remain private unless you or others are in danger or if legally obligated to disclose. 

Additional resources for grief and loss