The 5 Stages of Grief: Myths vs. Reality (and What Grief Really Looks Like)

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We’ve all heard of the “five stages of grief”—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. They’ve become one of the most popular frameworks for understanding grief. But here’s the truth: they’re also one of the most misunderstood.

In this minisode, I’m unpacking what the stages of grief were actually created for, the myths that often leave grievers feeling like they’re “doing it wrong,” and why grief doesn’t really follow a step-by-step process.

Instead, I’ll share a more honest picture of what grief looks like—messy, cyclical, and often wave-like—and how you can support yourself in your own unique grieving process.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

✨ The real history behind the five stages of grief
✨ Why grief is not linear (and why that’s actually okay)
✨ The biggest myths that keep grievers stuck and second-guessing their process
✨ Why the “grief wave” is a much more realistic way to understand what you’re experiencing
✨ How to give yourself permission to grieve your way—without timelines or rules

If you’ve ever felt like your grief doesn’t fit into the five stages, this episode is your reminder that you’re not broken—you’re a human having a very human experience.

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