E26: 6 Grief Metaphors That Finally Put Words to What You’re Feeling

Written By Shelby Forsythia

Sometimes grief is too big for plain language. I’m sharing six powerful grief metaphors—from the “Ball in the Box” to “grief butter” to my own “dressing room”—that give shape and words to what life after loss feels like. These images can help you explain your grief, validate your experience, and feel a little more understood.

You’ll hear:

  • Why metaphors help make sense of overwhelming emotions

  • 6 powerful metaphors for grief (and where they came from)

  • How to use metaphors to share your experience with others

  • Ways these images can validate your life after loss

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See the six grief metaphors in action on this week’s blog:

https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/blog-archive/6-powerful-grief-metaphors-that-help-you-make-sense-of-life-after-loss

Pre-order my new book, Of Course I’m Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving:

https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now

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https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links

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Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy:

https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy

 

Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower and submit a question for the show:

https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

Download the transcript for this episode here.

Shelby Forsythia

Shelby Forsythia (she/her) is a grief coach, author, and podcast host. In 2020, she founded Life After Loss Academy, an online course and community that has helped dozens of grievers grow and find their way after death, divorce, diagnosis, and other major life transitions.

Following her mother’s death in 2013, Shelby began calling herself a “student of grief” and now devotes her days to reading, writing, and speaking about loss. Through a combination of mindfulness tools and intuitive, open-ended questions, she guides her clients to welcome grief as a teacher and create meaningful lives that honor and include the heartbreaks they’ve faced. Her work has been featured in Huffington Post, Bustle, and The Oprah Magazine.

https://www.shelbyforsythia.com
Next

E25: Supporting Someone #1: You Don’t Have to Be a Therapist to Comfort a Grieving Friend