Resurfacing Grief

When Grief Resurfaces After a National Tragedy

As we hear over and over, grief has no timeline. Just when we think we've found a new routine, steady ground, a calm after the storm - a national tragedy—an act of violence, a disaster, or a heartbreaking loss reported in the headlines—can suddenly pull us back into the depths of pain we thought we had moved through.

For many, these events echo personal losses or highlight the experiences that shake us to our core. A news story may not involve someone we know, but it can reawaken the emotions of grief - the ache, the helplessness, the questions that have no answers. It's common to feel confused by this resurgence—“Why does this hit me so hard?”—but the answer is simple: pain remembers pain. This is especially found with resurfacing grief.

If you're feeling this way, you're not alone. It's okay to take a step back, to limit your exposure to news, to reach out to someone you trust, attend therapy, to reconnect with friends or loved ones, or just to sit quietly with what you're feeling. Grief resurfacing is not a setback—it's a reminder that healing is not linear, and that empathy, while painful, connects us to our shared humanity.

Be gentle with yourself. Your grief and your loved one are not forgotten here.

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