The Dual Process Model of Grief

When we lose someone, we love, grief can feel overwhelming. The Dual Process Model of Grief, created by Margaret Stroebe and Henk Schut, helps us understand that grieving isn’t a straight path. Instead, we move between two different ways of coping:

1. Loss-Oriented: This is when we focus on our sorrow and the memories of our loved one. We might feel deep sadness, cry, or think a lot about the person we’ve lost.

2. Restoration-Oriented: This is when we start to adjust to life without our loved one. We might focus on daily tasks, new activities, or finding moments of joy again.

   
   

We naturally switch between these two states. Some days, we might feel more focused on our loss, while other days, we might find ourselves engaging more with life and its new routines. This back-and-forth helps us heal over time.

Remember, it’s okay to feel both sadness and hope. Grief is a personal journey, and there’s no right or wrong way to go through it.