Your heart is broken. You feel stuck, lost, a little irrational. You feel silly that you are incapable of moving past the pain and uncertainty while people around you implore you to “move on” because “life goes on.” The truth is there is no timetable to get past how you feel because your grief journey is but your own. What I can provide, though, is a safe place for you to express your emotions freely and without judgment until you feel ready to take the next step.

I have suffered heartbreaks. I have journeyed down to the abyss of despair and hopelessness more than a few times in my own life. I remember the fear, anger, sudden panic attacks and feeling paralyzed in my own thoughts unable to effectively perform even the most basic functions of life. In short, my emotional well-being was not balanced, and I had an unhealthy reaction to dealing with sorrow. Like you, I have asked more than a few times, “why me?” and in the process convinced myself that God had ceased listening to my cries. Just when I thought all hope was loss, God revealed to me that I am still His child, that He loves me, and that He would never abandon me. So, I persevered; I continued to fight.

I am glad I did. On the journey towards healing I have come to realize that grief comes in many forms: death, betrayal, trauma, financial hardship. But my emotional trials have also birthed a clearer revelation on the steps to take to more effectively deal with these pains and disappointments.