E35: Supporting Someone #4: The 3 Painful Beliefs Every Griever Carries (and How to Respond)

Written By Shelby Forsythia

Grief isn't just heartbreaking—it's belief-shaping. After a major loss, many grieving people internalize painful stories like “I’m crazy,” “I’m alone,” and “My life will be like this forever.” Understanding these beliefs (and what to say in response) can transform the way you show up and support the grieving people in your life.

You’ll hear:

  • Where the 3 most common grief beliefs come from

  • Why reassurance like “You’re not alone” can backfire

  • Three phrases that offer quiet, effective comfort

  • How to support someone you care about without fixing, minimizing, or analyzing

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

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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

E34: How to Grieve When Family Won’t Talk About the Loss with Susan Lieu, Author of The Manicurist’s Daughter