Chances are you've seen more of it than you ever thought you would, or ever wanted to on the TV news. Some of these dead people are soldiers or civilians in other countries; some are kids and grownups in America...some may even be in your own community. But, long ago, maybe even before you started school, you learned about death in another way. Death took away somebody you loved. Maybe you found your goldfish floating at the top of the tank. Remember how angry you got when your Mom wanted to flush Goldie down the toilet? You put her in a pretty box and buried her in your yard. When a speeding car killed your dog, or your cat ate the poison used to kill rats, you cried almost without stopping. As you got older, as you are now, you came face to face with death in the loss of a parent or grandparent, or when a kid you knew overdosed, drank and drove, didn't wear a seat belt, or committed suicide. This made death real and scary.

Often, there seems to be no end to the sadness and suffering, no greater feeling of helplessness, no stronger anger than when facing the death of someone you love. Some people react by screaming and sobbing, others by remaining silent and solemn. These are all normal reactions. While there is no one right way to handle such a catastrophic happening as death, Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, a famous Swedish psychiatrist, offers needed help for all those who have lost a loved one. Author of the best selling book, On Death and Dying, Dr. Kubler-Ross has for over forty years studied the effect of grief on the lives of those left behind. Individual cultures, religious beliefs, personalities and family dynamics all play a part in the way death is handled. Still Dr. Kubler-Ross believes that those who understand and use her Five Stages of Dying can achieve greater release from grief: Denial and Isolation, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance.
(Click Defined above for short definitions of each stage and how one or all may be helpful for you in facing life after the death of a loved one).