1. Describe the person you are grieving? What were they like? How did they make you feel?
2. How do you feel about the label “widow” or “widower”? Or if you’re grieving the loss of someone other than a spouse…does another label, or your perception of societies view on death and grief, make you feel that you should experience death a certain way? Would you like a new label? What would it be? How would it help?
3. What kind of “sympathy comments” from others have helped you the most?
4. Do you forgive insensitive sympathy comments from others? Do you think they’re trying to further hurt you?
5. What are five words you would use to describe yourself before your loved one’s death? What are five words you would use to describe yourself after your loved one’s death? Are you still you?
6. What has helped you to keep your loved one’s memory and legacy alive?
7. Are you comfortable bringing your loved one’s love into the next phases of your life?
8. Are you still part of a couple (with this person who is now physically absent)? If so, in what ways?
9. Do you continue to nurture the relationships you had prior to your loved one’s loss (mutual friends, in-laws, etc)? Why or why not?
10. What does it look like to “move on”?
11. In terms of clothes and other personal items, how have you decided what to keep and what to part with? Do you have any advice to offer others?
12. When do you know you’re ready to date again?
13. Grief takes away so much. Does it give too? What gifts has grief offered you?
14. Can you still communicate with your loved one?…can you still reach them? If so, how?
15. If you do still communicate with your deceased loved one, do you think this interaction prevents you from “moving on”?…or does your ability to connect with them when needed allow you to feel more at peace and give you additional freedoms in creating your new reality?