E51: Why Closure Is an Unhelpful Goal in Grief—And How to Find Healing Without It

Written By Shelby Forsythia

If you’ve been told to “find closure” after a loss, you’re not alone—but that advice may be doing you more harm than good. Closure in grief is often treated as the ultimate goal of healing, yet many grieving people find it impossible—or even undesirable. I agree with them!

You’ll learn:

  • Why closure is an unhelpful goal in grief

  • What “closure after death” really implies—and why it falls short of what many grievers want

  • The psychology behind continuing bonds and integration

  • How to heal without leaving a loved one, a relationship, or a part of yourself behind

  • What to seek instead of closure when rebuilding life after loss

Listen to This Episode:

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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

E50: Supporting Someone #6: How to Comfort Someone Grieving—Take the Free Quiz to Discover Your Grief Supporter Strength