Bereavement and beliefs

Whilst I was training, I worked at a bereavement centre, counselling clients who had lost someone, often in traumatic circumstances, sometimes not.

I have no preference as to what other people believe, but what I noticed was that those who believed in some form of afterlife, either through a religion, some form of spirituality or just a sense of something bigger than oneself, had a much easier time being with and moving in and through the feelings of grief and loss. It gave them a frame of reference from which to find comfort (as a general observation).

Sometimes clients asked me what I believed, or if they ‘should’ believe in some form of afterlife. My theory is this – you can find some form of ‘proof’ for whatever you want to believe – that there is nothing, or there is everything. It really makes no difference what judgement you choose to make on it. However, since this is the case, I wonder, what would offer you more peace to believe? What would offer you more comfort? It doesn’t matter which you choose, but you have the option to offer yourself compassion and comfort – the only person you need to make peace with, is you.