#12 - Important Things Never to Say to Someone Who has Experienced a Loss.

"Be glad you're young enough to have another child."

By Bobbie Rill, M.A., LPC
Grief Recovery Specialist & Trainer

www.TheGriefandWellnessGroup.com

“Be glad you’re young enough to have another child.”  While this may certainly be a true statement, watch out!  The grieving person may be tempted to through you a punch and knock you right off your feet.  Worse than that, one person said when someone made that comment to him, “I wanted to kill the woman!”  Why such a strong reaction?  It’s because the statement, although made by well-meaning people, negates the depth of emotional pain that that parent is experiencing or that their sorrow is invalid because, after all, they can try again.  

Don’t forget.  Grief is emotional – not intellectual!  As a result, the grieving person will not hear the facts until their emotions have been processed.  While it’s not uncommon for well-meaning people to try and move the grieving person from the pain in their heart to focus on the facts in their head, this method is not only ineffective but causes more confusion and pain for the griever. 

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Bobbie Rill, M.A.
Licensed Professional Counselor
National Trainer for The Grief Recovery Institute®
Grief Recovery Specialist

A well-loved speaker, counselor and Grief Recovery Specialist, Bobbie has been guiding individuals successfully for over 20 years.

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