Many people find that the death of a parent hits harder than expected. Why?
The death of a parent is a life-shaking event, shaking the foundation of one’s life and undermining familiar supports. It is an important life passage in the life cycle. Clients and workshop participants have made such statements as, “The death of my parent was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. It is overwhelming. . . It rips you wide open. . . The death of my parent is one of the hardest things I’ve ever dealt with.” Studies over the past ten years (Scharlach, Umberson) reveal that this event is much more stressful than had been assumed by the general public and mental health professionals. Many people are not prepared for the intensity and power of grief. Suddenly death is one step closer; life seems fragile and unpredictable. The family is fragmented; one feels alone. A person who loses a parent will never be the same as he or she was before this event. This experience can shatter a person, leaving life-time scars, but it can also inaugurate a transformative healing journey
