{"id":5270,"date":"2025-05-22T16:38:32","date_gmt":"2025-05-22T16:38:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/21stcfs.co.za\/staging\/?p=5270"},"modified":"2025-05-22T16:44:22","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T16:44:22","slug":"understanding-the-5-stages-of-grief","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/21stcfs.co.za\/staging\/understanding-the-5-stages-of-grief\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding the 5 stages of grief"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The grieving process isn\u2019t linear. It is made up of different, distinct phases, and you can experience different emotions in each one. In order to heal, you need to feel your feelings, no matter how intense they are. Clinical Social Worker, S&#8217;lindile Thabede, unpacks and explains the five stages of grief, as coined by <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Elisabeth_K%C3%BCbler-Ross\">famous psychiatrist, Elisabeth K\u00fcbler-Ross<\/a>, what to expect from them and how to get through them to reach a place of recovery.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Stage 1: Denial<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When someone you care about has just passed away, you will most likely be in a state of shock. This shock can make it hard to accept that this loss has really happened, which is why the first stage of this process is one of denial. Thoughts, like \u2018this can\u2019t be happening\u2019, are commonly felt during this time. \u2018When you are experiencing denial, you should gently reinforce the reality of the loss while also treating yourself with compassion,\u2019 suggests S&#8217;lindile.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Stage 2: Anger<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once some time has passed, most people will start to feel anger, frustration and resentment. This is a way of masking the pain. Sometimes, this anger is directed at other people or even the person who has died, and you can feel mad that they\u2019ve left you. Once this has subsided, you can start to address the sadness underneath. \u2018Validate your feelings and look for healthy ways to release your anger,\u2019 recommends S&#8217;lindile. This could be working out or practising mindfulness techniques.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Stage 3: Bargaining<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If your rage has subsided and you start to ask yourself \u2018what if?\u2019 questions and making \u2018if only\u2019 statements, you are in the bargaining stage. Not unlike the anger stage, this happens as a way to defend yourself against your overwhelming emotions. It\u2019s also normal to seek out solutions when you feel helpless. \u2018During this phase, you should listen to yourself without judgment and find ways to feel comfort and self-soothe,\u2019 explains S&#8217;lindile. Talk to someone you trust to make sense of your loss.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Stage 4: Depression<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Often viewed as a quieter stage of grief, depression can feel less intense and more numb. Feelings of heaviness and confusion can be present, and many people find themselves isolating from others. \u2018Reach out to people you trust to feel less alone and make self-care a priority,\u2019 says S&#8217;lindile. If you are struggling and think you need professional help, <a href=\"https:\/\/21stcfs.co.za\/contact\/\">21st Century Funerals offers grief counselling<\/a> as one of its lifestyle benefits to bereaved family members of policyholders.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Stage 5: Acceptance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The final stage might have a positive name, but this doesn\u2019t guarantee happiness or upliftment. It just means that you have come to accept the loss and understand what it means for your life moving forward. \u2018This phase is about finding new meaning in your life, which can be achieved through connection, creative expression or honouring the memory of the person who has passed,\u2019 says S&#8217;lindile. Soon, you\u2019ll start having more good days than bad ones and be able to envision a joyful future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The grieving process isn\u2019t linear. It is made up of different, distinct phases, and you can experience different emotions in each one. In order to heal, you need to feel your feelings, no matter how intense they are. Clinical Social Worker, S&#8217;lindile Thabede, unpacks and explains the five stages of grief, as coined by famous [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":5271,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[77,78],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5270","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-funeral-insurance","category-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.5 (Yoast SEO v26.5) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Understanding the 5 stages of grief<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The grieving process can be a lengthy one, and it is made up of different and distinct phases. 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Here are the five stages of grief, explained.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/21stcfs.co.za\/staging\/understanding-the-5-stages-of-grief\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"21st Century Funerals\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/21STCENTURYFUNERALS\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-05-22T16:38:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-05-22T16:44:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/21stcfs.co.za\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/stages-of-grief.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Helen Wallace\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Helen Wallace\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Understanding the 5 stages of grief","description":"The grieving process can be a lengthy one, and it is made up of different and distinct phases. 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