How Funeral Services Can Help You Through the Grieving Process
Planning a funeral can be challenging. You and your loved ones are grieving, but you also must make important financial decisions. A professional funeral service provider can help you make these decisions and oversee the entire planning process. Working with a funeral home can also help you grieve in a healthy way. We’ll explain how in this article.
What Is the Purpose of a Funeral?
Funerals have existed in some form for thousands of years. The funerals and rituals that accompany mourning are fundamental to how people grieve. They reinforce social ties and expand our safety net, according to Christy Denckla, a Harvard research associate and clinical psychologist specializing in grief.
The primary purpose of a funeral service is to allow loved ones to express emotions in a safe, supportive space. Funerals also provide spiritual comfort and encourage people to fully embrace life.
Because funerals are designed to bring families together, they can also guide loved ones through the five stages of grief.
How Can a Funeral Help You Grieve?
Healthy grief goes through several phases. The Swiss physician Elizabeth Kubler-Ross defined them as denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. A funeral service is fundamental to successfully moving through these five phases.
Acknowledgment & Acceptance
Often, we have trouble accepting that our loved one has died when we first hear it. Funerals are a visual way for your brain to process that someone you love has passed and is no longer with you. They help you to move from denial to acceptance.
Family Support
During the bargaining and acceptance phases, the bereaved reach out to family members for grief support. Funerals help facilitate in bringing families together. Being surrounded by family reminds you that you don’t have to experience this alone—others will help you.
A funeral service allows you to express your emotions in a supportive environment. Expressing your emotions helps prevent you from becoming overwhelmed. Processing grief with a supportive family around you also helps avoid feelings of isolation.
Eulogies
Eulogies help you remember, treasure, and celebrate your loved one’s life. Rather than focusing on what you’re missing now that your loved one has passed, eulogies help you express gratitude for the time you’ve spent together. Reflecting how someone lived their life can also help you and others resolve to live your lives better, as well.
Moving Forward
Lastly, funeral services offer hope for the continuity of life, and help the bereaved begin the journey into the next phase of their lives. While you’ll always miss your loved one, you can move on.
Wujek-Calcaterra Is Here For You
Located in Michigan, Wujek-Calcaterra is a family-owned and operated funeral home that has helped generations of people grieve and move forward. We provide traditional and custom funeral services, cremations, and ongoing grief support. Available 24/7, our team is committed to helping you and your family cope with loss, plan thoughtful tributes, and keep your funeral service as budget-friendly as possible.
If you need help, contact us today to request a consultation.
