Oscillating between grief and everyday life is at the heart of this bereavement support PDF. The diagram explains the Two-Way Grief Model, based on the Dual Process Model, showing how people may move back and forth between facing the pain of loss and gradually adapting to daily life after someone has died.
This Two-Way Grief Model PDF is a printable bereavement support handout that helps explain why grief can feel different from one day to the next. It is suited to adults and older young people who are grieving, as well as bereavement counsellors, social workers, therapists, support workers and family members looking for a clear grief and loss resource.
The page is structured as a simple two-column diagram. One side covers facing the reality of the loss, including grieving, thinking about the person who has died, sorting out wills or property, coping with secondary losses such as changes in identity or family role, managing reduced income or living alone, comforting others and dealing with difficult family relationships.
The other side focuses on continuing with everyday life and slowly adapting to loss, with examples such as cooking, going to work, managing money, making children’s lunches, gardening, seeing friends, shopping, joining a social group or finding new interests. This can help people understand that moving between painful feelings and ordinary tasks is a common part of bereavement.
Use the PDF in one-to-one bereavement counselling, grief psychoeducation, support groups, wellbeing sessions or personal reflection at home. It can be downloaded, printed and shared as a gentle discussion guide for exploring loss, adjustment and day-to-day coping. This resource was created by MindWell Leeds.
