Unlocking the Emotions: Navigating the Depths of Grief
“ Amidst professional heartbreak, there lies a silver lining—an opportunity for growth, self-discovery, the refinement of values, and the crafting of a new professional identity. Grief, in essence, is an inside-out job.”
Diving into the world of grief is like opening a treasure chest of emotions—a profound exploration that goes beyond the weight of losing someone. It's a dance with change, a psychological ballet where navigating the intricacies can lead to unexpected treasures. Amidst professional heartbreak, there lies a silver lining—an opportunity for growth, self-discovery, the refinement of values, and the crafting of a new professional identity. Grief, in essence, is an inside-out job.
Professional Heartbreak: Crafting Resilience Amidst Change
Have you experienced a job loss, faced a career setback, bid farewell to a favourite boss or coworker, or found yourself not quite where you want to be professionally?
Work is more than just a means of earning a living; it provides structure to our days, a reason to rise in the morning, goals to pursue, and contributes to our sense of meaning, identity, and status.
In the realm of career transitions, grief becomes a companion triggered by bidding farewell to familiar routines, colleagues, and the identity tethered to the former job. It's not unusual to mourn the comfort and stability the old career provided. Consequently, it's unsurprising that involuntary job loss and career changes can lead to a decline in psychological, physical, and social well-being. For instance, research has linked job loss to an increase in depression, anxiety, and psychosomatic symptoms, as well as the loss of psychosocial assets, stigmatization, social withdrawal, family disruption, and a heightened risk of substance use. Longitudinal studies have even demonstrated that job loss can induce severe emotional distress.
Yet, within this process lies the potential for transformative growth and self-discovery. When handled right, job loss or career changes can open the door to discussing what work means to you, what you want to get out of it, and how you want to show up in it. The question is, can you navigate the grief associated with this change in a way that builds your resilience?
Insights into grief
Greif is a psychological response to loss. It is not always about bereavement. Grief can encompass other significant life changes, like ending a relationship or changing careers.
When it comes to changing careers, grief might be triggered by leaving behind familiar routines, colleagues, and a sense of identity associated with the previous job. It's not uncommon to feel a sense of loss for the comfort and stability the old career provided. However, this process can also be an opportunity for growth and self-discovery.
Generally, grief is resolved between 2 to 6 months, but it can continue for longer, at which point you may require professional help to process it.
How do we process grief?
While grief typically resolves within 2 to 6 months, its persistence may necessitate professional assistance. Traditional models portrayed grief as a journey through the stages of denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. However, the Dual Process Model of Grief suggests a dynamic oscillation between loss-oriented emotional processing and restoration-oriented adaptation to practical changes.
Stroebe and Schut's Dual Process Model of Grief (1999) proposes that grieving individuals oscillate between two main processes: loss-oriented and restoration-oriented. In the loss-oriented process, individuals confront and process the emotional aspects of the loss. This involves experiencing and expressing grief-related emotions. Simultaneously, in the restoration-oriented process, individuals focus on adapting to the practical and functional changes resulting from the loss. They engage in activities that help them build a new life without the presence of what or who was lost. The model suggests that the ability to switch between these two processes is essential for effective grief coping, allowing individuals to balance emotional expression with the practical demands of life.
I find the Dual Process Model of Grief particularly valuable when considering how to navigate both career transitions and job-related grief. This model creates a space for simultaneously processing grief and crafting a new reality, adopting a "Both, And" approach that acknowledges and embraces the complexity of these experiences.
Insights from a Recent Study: Coping in Job Loss
A recent study by Van Eersel, Taris and Boelen (2021) explored the relationship between job loss-related grief reactions, depression, and anxiety symptoms among 525 Dutch workers. The findings unveiled four distinct classes—'mixed,' 'grieving,' 'depressed,' and 'resilient.' These classes were related to job loss circumstances and coping strategies, emphasizing the need for tailored interventions if someone isn’t healthily processing job-related grief.
In this study, job loss-related grief reactions include items such as ‘I can’t accept the loss of my job’ and ‘Memories about the loss of my job upset me’. The circumstances of the job loss, including its perceived suddenness, injustice, and lack of control over the dismissal. Maladaptive coping is summed by denial, behavioural disengagement, and self-blame. Adaptive coping is summed by active coping, acceptance, positive reframing, and planning.
The researchers identified four distinct groups in how employes handled the job loss. These groups were 'mixed,' 'grieving, 'depressed,', and 'resilient.' :
The 'mixed class' (16.6%) showed low probabilities for anxiety symptoms but high probabilities for job loss-related grief and depression symptoms.
The 'grieving class' (25.5%) exhibited low probabilities for depression and anxiety symptoms but high probabilities for specific job loss-related grief reactions.
The 'depressed class' (12.8%) had low probabilities for anxiety symptoms, some depression symptoms, and most job loss-related grief reactions, but high endorsement for specific depression symptoms and two job loss-related grief reactions.
The 'resilient class' (45.1%) demonstrated low probabilities across all symptoms.
Why do people handle job loss or job change poorly?
Understanding why individuals engage in maladaptive coping strategies post-job loss points to a lack of accessible resources, triggering ineffective mechanisms and heightened emotional distress.
The researchers propose that a lack of accessible resources during challenging times, such as job loss, may lead to ineffective coping strategies, amplifying levels of grief, depression, and anxiety. Grounded in the conservation of resources theory, emotional distress intensifies when valuable resources are threatened. Insufficient financial, self-esteem, or social network resources pose obstacles in managing stress, initiating a harmful cycle of resource depletion and heightened stress. In an attempt to minimize loss, individuals may deplete other resources for short-term relief, unintentionally increasing vulnerability in the long run. Further exploration of the interplay between maladaptive coping and emotional responses within the conservation of resources theory framework is suggested for future research.
Adaptive vs. Non-Adaptive Coping Mechanisms: Shaping Resilience in the face of job loss and job changes
In the realm of coping mechanisms, Carver's Brief COPE distinguishes adaptive from non-adaptive strategies. Carver's Brief COPE is a widely used tool designed to assess coping strategies in response to stressors. It categorizes coping mechanisms into adaptive and non-adaptive strategies. Adaptive coping involves problem-solving, positive reinterpretation, seeking emotional support, and instrumental help. Conversely, non-adaptive mechanisms provide temporary relief but fail to address the underlying issues.
In thinking about how you related to your job loss or job change, think about how you can leverage adaptive coping mechanisms to help you process the job-related grief:
Adaptive Coping Mechanisms:
1. Problem-Focused Coping: This involves actively addressing and resolving the stressor. It includes problem-solving, seeking information, and taking direct action.
2. Emotion-Focused Coping (Positive Reinterpretation and Growth): This strategy involves changing one's perspective on the stressor, finding positive aspects, and seeking personal growth or meaning from the experience.
3. Emotion-Focused Coping (Venting): Expressing emotions, whether through talking to others or engaging in activities, can be adaptive, allowing individuals to release pent-up feelings.
4. Instrumental Support: Seeking practical help or advice from others is considered an adaptive coping mechanism.
Non-Adaptive Coping Mechanisms:
1. Self-Distraction: Engaging in activities to divert attention from the stressor, which may provide temporary relief but does not address the underlying issue.
2. Denial: Refusing to acknowledge the existence or impact of the stressor. While it may provide immediate relief, it is not a sustainable or effective coping strategy.
3. Substance Use: Turning to alcohol or drugs as a way to cope, which can have detrimental effects on both physical and mental health.
4. Behavioral Disengagement: Withdrawing or giving up in the face of stress rather than actively addressing the problem.
Navigating Change: Empowering Your Professional Journey
Even amidst professional heartbreak, there exists a silver lining—an opportunity for growth, self-discovery, the refinement of values, and the sculpting of a new professional identity. Grief, fundamentally, is an internal journey. Navigating the complexities of job loss or career transitions becomes more manageable by embracing adaptive coping strategies. Through proactive problem-solving, cultivating positive growth, seeking emotional release, and enlisting practical support, individuals not only weather the storm of change but emerge resilient and poised to shape a new and empowering narrative for their professional journey.
What to read next?
Unlocking the Emotions: Navigating the Depths of Grief
Diving into the world of grief is like opening a treasure chest of emotions—a profound exploration that goes beyond the weight of losing someone. It's a dance with change, a psychological ballet where navigating the intricacies can lead to unexpected treasures. Amidst professional heartbreak, there lies a silver lining—an opportunity for growth, self-discovery, the refinement of values, and the crafting of a new professional identity. Grief, in essence, is an inside-out job.
Professional Heartbreak: Crafting Resilience Amidst Change
Have you experienced a job loss, faced a career setback, bid farewell to a favourite boss or coworker, or found yourself not quite where you want to be professionally?
Work is more than just a means of earning a living; it provides structure to our days, a reason to rise in the morning, goals to pursue, and contributes to our sense of meaning, identity, and status.