Grief Letter Template
Learn more about how a Grief Letter can support individuals through the most challenging time and how you can implement it into your practice.
Fact Checked by Ericka Pingol.
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What is grief?
Grief is one of those things that every one of us will experience. Yet, it can still be a shock when we realize we will never see that loved one again. There's no right or wrong way to grieve. It's a personal process that many different variables in their routine can alter. There may be an unexpected death in the family or even if the individual is having a difficult time.
Grief is often spoken about in terms of losing a loved one to death. However, individuals can feel grief for many things. Healthdirect Australia (2020) suggests that individuals can feel grief over:
- Divorce
- The loss of a beloved pet
- Giving up something important
- Work changes
- Terminal illness diagnosis
- The loss of good health due to an accident
- Miscarriage or infertility
Grief can have very impactful emotions for individuals. For some, these feelings may be so significant that thinking about the future can seem impossible. This means that grief can have detrimental impacts on an individual's mental and physical health. The effects of grief can often resemble depression (Healthdirect Australia, 2020). However, it's important to remember that the full effects of grief may not be felt until a few weeks, months, or even years later.
Printable Grief Letter Template
Download this Grief Letter Template help individuals express how they're feeling regarding grief.
What are grief letters?
Grief letters are a simple way to say goodbye to someone or an opportunity causing someone grief. It can help them accept their emotions and create an understanding of the situation. Other terms for a grief letter might be:
- Goodbye letter
- Sympathy letter
- Condolence letter
- Grief worksheet
It's important to understand that different individuals will have different names for this template. Some people who have lost a loved one might not be able to imagine saying goodbye. Therefore, a goodbye letter is not an appropriate term for them.
The point of the grief letter is to help loved ones express their happiness, describe the best memory with that person, anger, regret, and anything else they want to get off their chest. There is no wrong thing to write in the letter. It's simply a personal resource to support the deeply saddened individual.
This resource's letter aspect helps individuals process grief, allowing them to write freely about their deceased loved ones.
How do grief letters help with the grieving process?
Emotional expression
Grief letters can help individuals express how they're feeling regarding grief. Sometimes, it can be difficult to get those feelings out because they are too overwhelming or no one has experienced what they're going through. Using a grief letter can support individuals in positively acknowledging their emotions.
Cathartic release
Sometimes, individuals need to have a few moments of catharsis when it comes to grief. The act of putting emotions into words on the paper can be cathartic. This helps your client to release pent-up feelings and find a sense of relief.
Closure
A grief letter can support individuals in gaining some closure as well as fostering a sense of goodbye. It's essential for individuals to feel like they can say goodbye to their family members or have the opportunity to reveal a new page in their lives. However, some people don't like to use the term 'goodbye', you must meet the client halfway during this time.
How does our Grief Letter Template work?
Using this Grief Letter Template is simple! Here at Carepatron, we're dedicated to ensuring the lives of mental health practitioners in the clinic are as seamless as possible. That's why we've created an easy-to-follow step-by-step instruction set for you. Check it out:
Step one: Obtain the Grief Letter Template
You can do this by navigating our templates section on the Carepatron OS. From here, you'll want to go ahead and download this workbook to your device by clicking the link. You can utilize the template online on your device or print it out for physical use by your clients.
Step two: Work through the template
It's up to you how you might suggest your client to use this template. You may think it will be better for them to use this workbook alone as a reflection tool and homework task, or you may want to go through it with them to identify matters together in a safe environment. You know your client best, so it will be beneficial if you choose to use this template.
Step three: Check-in
As always, when it comes to therapy, having a check-in with your clients is a great idea. During this time, you might want to ask how things are going with their cognitions, make sure they are tracking well, and discuss any changes that may need to happen to keep pushing forward in their mental healing journey.
Step four: Store the workbook
You may want to store the completed workbook for later. No worries, Carepatron has you covered. You can save the file to our secure OS system that will keep it private if you have utilized the workbook on a device or scan the physical copy to your device and save it.
Grief Letter Template example
We've created a completed sample of the Grief Letter Template.
You need to remember that this is only an example. We've chosen a young teen who is grieving her father. This is a fictional scenario. Your client may have alternative answers, so it is appropriate to follow their prompts.
Download our Grief Letter Template example here:
Why use Carepatron as your therapy software?
Carepatron is the best place for all your therapy software requirements, especially when dealing with grief.
Here at Carepatron, we are dedicated to simplifying all healthcare professionals' lives. We take this very seriously and we are motivated by our mental health care specialists mainly.
With over 100 free templates dedicated to therapy techniques you can utilize in your clinic, you can ensure you're obtaining only the most significant and genuine information to use in your clinical setting.
We're also big on our OS system. Carepatron has a range of tools and resources that set us apart from other healthcare systems.
When you choose Carepatron, you can access therapy practice management software that supports you and your co-workers. You can look forward to our ability to set patient reminders with our patient appointment reminder software, the ease of our clinical note system with our clinical documentation software that allows you access from home or the office.
Download Carepatron, and you can access various psychological and other resources that allow you and your client to be in their grief journey.
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References
Healthdirect Australia. (2020). Grief and loss. Www.healthdirect.gov.au. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/grief-loss
Commonly asked questions
The purpose of a grief letter is to serve as a structured outlet for expressing emotions, memories, and farewells. It supports individuals on their new journey without this person.
There are no strict rules to the grief letter. The process is personal in order to focus on self-expression and emotional reflection. This is a template for those who might want to begin writing a letter but do not know where to begin. Or it can be used as a great therapy activity.
It's an individual choice - some will choose to share with their close circles, others might prefer to keep their letter private.
