The psychological model of the five stages of grief and loss was originally conceived by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross as a way for terminally ill patients to come to terms with death. She did help soften the stigma around talking about dying.

However later this was expanded to include all of us suffering a loss.

I only know about this as my brother passed last week and I was looking for ways to cope.

I definitely don’t fit the mold and, as you have written here, we all deal with loss or change in our own unique way, based on our emotional map of experiences.

Your story reassured me I can do it my way.

Thank you.