Mindfulness Grief Writing

How Writing Helped Me Process Grief While Supporting Others

Since December, I have lost two kind, sweet clients. Their gentleness was often mistaken for weakness until you knew them. Despite what life threw at them, they chose to remain compassionate instead of becoming hardened.

When they passed away, I felt both angry and deeply sad. These were good people whose light had gone out too soon. During this difficult time, I still had family members coming to me for grief somatic mindfulness work. I needed to find a way to process my emotions while being fully present for the people who needed my support.

In my grief, I wrote this poem:

Her hands summoned love from all directions,

Her gentle touch, a whisper of compassion.

Where darkness gathered, she brought light—

Not by fighting shadows,

But by showing them another way to be.

Finding Clarity Through Poetry

I turned to poetry to work through my feelings. Something about the distilled, concentrated form of poetry helped me express what I couldn't say otherwise. This poem was one of several I wrote, attempting to capture what made these people exceptional.

Poetry gave me a private space to acknowledge my grief without filtering it. I could be frank about my anger, confusion, and sadness while also honoring the beautiful qualities of those I lost. The act of crafting these lines helped me see my emotions more clearly.

Creating Space for Others

The most important benefit of my poetry practice was how it helped me separate my grief from my professional responsibilities. By channeling my emotions into poems, I created mental and emotional space to be fully present for the family members who came to me for support.

Without this creative outlet, my unresolved feelings might have affected my ability to guide others through their grief journeys. Writing poems helped me put my struggles aside temporarily so I could focus entirely on the needs of those I was working with.

A Continuing Practice

Poetry has become essential to my self-care routine as a professional grief worker. I write poems before meeting with clients when I notice emotions building up. This creative practice helps me be more centered and available for those who need me.

Finding your outlet for processing emotions is crucial for anyone who supports others through difficult times. Poetry worked for me because it demanded that I distill complex feelings into clear images and rhythms. The discipline of crafting a poem helped me make sense of chaos while honoring the relationships with those I lost.

Through poetry, I found that I could honor my feelings and still be of service—not by pushing grief away but by transforming it into something that could exist alongside my work of helping others.

About the Author:

I am a somatic mindfulness practitioner. With over 15 years of experience guiding individuals and families through their grief journeys, I combine body-centered approaches with mindfulness techniques to help clients holistically process loss. My practice is built on the belief that grief resides in mind and body, and healing happens when we create space for both. When not working with clients, I find solace in poetry, nature walks, and community building.