When Healing Means Letting Go: Understanding the Grief That Comes With Growth
When thinking about healing, people often picture feeling relieved, hopeful, or proud as they begin to grow and change.
While those feelings can be part of the process, many people may also experience sadness, confusion, or grief.
Grief Can Be Part of Healing
Grief is a response to loss. Sometimes, we grieve the things we're leaving behind.
Healing requires change, and change can bring up a lot of emotions. That might mean letting go of a relationship, a habit, a version of yourself, or even a way of coping that once helped you through a difficult season.
Letting Go Can Feel Like Loss
Maybe you're walking away from a relationship you decided to leave, but still miss the connection you shared. Maybe you're learning to set boundaries and miss the sense of connection or security that came from always being there for others. Maybe you're letting go of doing things perfectly and miss the sense of control it gave you. Maybe you're letting go of a habit or pattern that once helped you cope, even as you begin to find new ways of caring for yourself.
Missing It Doesn’t Mean You Should Go Back
It can feel confusing to miss something you know you need to change. But many things we struggle to let go of served a purpose at one point. They may have helped us feel safe, avoid pain, feel connected, or create a sense of control.
Healing Often Requires Letting Go
If healing feels harder than you expected, it doesn't mean you're doing something wrong. Sometimes, healing asks us to let go of things that once helped us feel safe.
Here at Atlanta Wellness Collective, we want to help. For support, contact us or schedule an appointment online.
This blog post was written by Alex Kelley.
This blog is not intended to substitute professional therapeutic advice. Talk with your healthcare provider about your health concerns and before starting or stopping therapies. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct professional advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
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