The document outlines the 5 stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. It explains each stage and describes the emotions people may experience during the grieving process. For example, denial involves shock and difficulty accepting the loss. Anger can be directed at the deceased or others. Bargaining occurs due to stress. Depression happens as nothing will be the same. Finally, acceptance is learning to live with the loss. The stages take different amounts of time and are experienced differently for each person grieving a death. Understanding and counseling can help with moving through the stages to heal.

1. Website: www.bayridgecounsellingcentres.ca Phone No.: (905) 319-1488
The 5 Stages Of Grief: The Process &
The Journey to Acceptance & How to
Cope

2. Website: www.bayridgecounsellingcentres.ca Phone No.: (905) 319-1488
Enduring the loss of a loved one or friend is never an easy road. Still, death forms
part of life and with the grief comes many other emotional things. Some steps in
the grieving process are worse for certain people than they are for others. Either
way, the grieving process happens to all who lose a loved one.
Understanding the 5 stages of grief
Nobody can escape grief, but there are ways to cope once you understand the
stages. Grief takes time, and the amount of time is not the same for everyone.
The 5 stages of grief include denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.
The journey to acceptance can be gruelling, and it isn’t easy.
1 – Denial
When overcoming denial, there has to be the ability to manage or deal with it.
Being in a state of shock makes it hard to believe that the person who once was
always around is suddenly gone. Adapting to this new normal is hard and with it
comes denying the fact that they are no longer here in person.

3. Website: www.bayridgecounsellingcentres.ca Phone No.: (905) 319-1488
We long for the ones we have lost. With grief comes a reoccurring pain and hurt.
In essence, some days are better than others, but we long for those who have gone.
2 – Anger
Anger during grief is another common emotion that cannot be skipped. We may
feel angry and want to blame whoever is responsible. Was it our fault? Was it
someone else’s? Anger may even be directed at the departed person for leaving
you the way they did. And anger may include the fact that there is no way to
control the situation. Just like denial, anger comes with the process.
Not processing the anger can lead to resentfulness and emotions that can affect
other aspects of your life.
3 – Bargaining
Bargaining during grief happens because of all the emotions and stress revolving
around the process. What did I do to deserve this? Why did this happen?
Understanding the stages of grief and the way you feel during these stages helps
with the healing.
4 – Depression
One of the most familiar feelings or stages during the time of grief is depression.
Since the departure of your dearest, nothing is the same, and nothing will go back
to the way it was before. For some people, grief may split families, and when dealt
with through grief counselling, it could bring families closer together.
Being depressed during grief is different for everyone, too, just like the whole
grieving process is.
5 – Acceptance
Acceptance is the final stage of grief. It is here when we learn to accept things the
way it is. We can’t change it, and we must carry on living to the best of our ability.
As Queen Elizabeth II once said, “Grief is the price we pay for love.” Indeed it is
so, but when we deal with the process correctly with professional counselling, we
can move on to lead a humble, fulfilling life.
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Source: https://www.bayridgecounsellingcentres.ca/5-stages-of-grief-and-
journey-to-acceptance/