Post: Unfinished Business: Dealing with Guilt and Regrets After a Loved One Dies

When someone close to you dies it’s very common for people to feel guilty that they couldn’t change the outcome. Or you may regret that you turned down potential opportunities to spend more time with that person, and now it’s too late. For example, I felt that way after my dad’s sudden death many years ago, and wish I knew then what I know now about the process for working through grief. It would’ve reduced my sadness and angst dramatically.

You might feel badly because you never got to say goodbye or had important things to discuss with your loved one that you didn’t have the opportunity to share. Whatever the reason, these feelings are normal and there are ways to work through them. You can even gain insight through loss to help create positive experiences.

I discuss how people can address these feelings in my book, Beyond Loss in a Pandemic.  Check out my article in AfterTalk.com, which highlights some examples for healing: “How to cope with guilt and regrets and feel better over time.”