Unrecognized Grief: The Grief We Overlook

Some losses bring deep and lasting grief but receive little acknowledgment from the people around us. Others may minimize the loss, misunderstand the relationship, focus on the circumstances, or fail to recognize that grieving is taking place at all. Without validation or support, grief can feel especially lonely.

This class explores the many situations in which grief may go unrecognized, including:

• The death of a friend, former partner, pet, or someone whose relationship to the grieving person is not fully understood

• A death surrounded by stigma or complicated circumstances

• Divorce, estrangement, the end of a friendship, or the loss of a community

• Infertility, miscarriage, job loss, changes in health, or a major shift in identity

Along with recognizing these experiences, the class offers approachable ways to navigate grief that feels invisible. You will consider how to acknowledge your own emotions, seek meaningful support, and use everyday practices, supportive rituals, and community resources when understanding from others is limited.

The class will also explore how to respond compassionately when someone else is grieving a loss that may not be widely recognized. The goal is to affirm the legitimacy of these experiences and make grief feel less isolating—both for ourselves and for the people we support.

Open to everyone. No previous knowledge or professional experience is required.

Registration includes a certificate for 1.5 Professional Development Hours (PDHs).

Your registration helps support the Center for Death Education’s nonprofit mission to make accurate, compassionate education about death, dying, grief, and end-of-life care accessible and affordable.