Grief is a universal experience—we inevitably encounter loss and the accompanying sorrow. Most people are familiar with the “5 Stages of Grief”—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance—which originated from Elisabeth Kubler-Ross’s work with individuals diagnosed with terminal illnesses. Over time, this framework became widely accepted as the model for grieving the death of a loved one or coping with other significant losses.
However, the reality of grieving is far more complex. Grief does not follow a linear path with clearly defined stages and an endpoint. Instead, it is a deeply personal and often unpredictable journey that varies greatly from one person to another.
This two-week seminar aims to delve into the nature of grief and mourning, drawing on many years of experience and research into how people grieve. In our pain-averse society, where death is often perceived as something that can be avoided and painful emotions are considered “bad,” it becomes increasingly important to clarify what grief is—and what it is not. This seminar will attempt to do just that.
University of Dayton Olli