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Embracing Today: Live Empowered Now

A Workbook for Anticipatory Grief 

 

BY MARIDA ETHERINGTON MScN

Certified Grief Educator, Meditation & Mindfulness Teacher 

A WORKBOOK TO HELP WITH ANTICIPATORY GRIEF

Grief is not always something that comes after a loss—it can also begin long before. Anticipatory grief is the deep, complex emotion we experience when we know that loss is coming, whether due to a loved one's terminal illness, aging, or another significant life transition. It is a natural but often confusing process, filled with waves of sadness, anxiety, and even moments of hope.

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Anticipatory grief is a type of grief that occurs before a significant loss or death takes place. It is a natural response to the impending loss of a loved one or a major life change. This form of grief allows individuals to start processing their feelings and emotions before the actual loss occurs, and it can help them prepare for the inevitable.

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When my father was sick and before he passed, I created a workbook to help navigate anticipatory grief. I believe this is a perfect companion to use as journal prompts on your own or in sessions with your therapist or grief counsellor. Therapists can use the workbook as a guide in individual or group therapy.

It is a simple and easy-to-follow workbook that is the perfect companion to use as journal prompts on your own or in sessions with your therapist or grief counsellor.

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It is also designed for Therapists or Grief Counsellors to use as a workbook guide in individual or group therapy.

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As you work through the workbook, pick and choose what resonates with you, reflect on some of these strategies and journal prompts, disregard what doesn’t serve you. Within the chapters there may be some repetition as each section is meant to be used as a stand-alone. You can start anywhere in the workbook and go back and forth as it suits you.

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This workbook is designed to be a compassionate companion as you navigate anticipatory grief. It offers education, reflection exercises, and coping strategies to help you manage the emotions and challenges that arise before loss occurs. While this journey is painful, it is also an opportunity for connection, understanding, and preparing your heart for what lies ahead.

Throughout this workbook, you will find:

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  • Understanding Anticipatory Grief: Exploring the unique emotions and experiences that arise before a loss.

  • Processing Emotions: Journaling prompts and exercises to help you acknowledge and express your feelings.

  • Strengthening Connections: Guidance on creating meaningful moments with your loved one while they are still here.

  • Self-Care and Coping Strategies: Tools to support your emotional and physical well-being during this challenging time.

  • Finding Meaning and Preparing for the Future: Encouragement to embrace love, create lasting memories, and seek support as you prepare for loss.

Researching and Writing

  • By engaging with these pages, you are taking an active step toward navigating this journey with compassion and resilience. Be gentle with yourself, honor your emotions, and trust that even in grief, there can be moments of peace and hope.

  • It is important to remember that grief does not follow a set timeline. When the time of loss does come, it will bring its own unique waves of emotion. But you are not starting from the beginning—you have already built resilience, learned ways to cope, and discovered inner strength.

  • As you move forward, allow yourself grace. Some days will feel heavier than others, and that is okay. Healing is not about forgetting; it is about learning to hold both love and loss in the same heart.

  • Anticipatory grief has given you the opportunity to prepare, to be present, and to express love in ways that matter. When the road ahead feels uncertain, remind yourself of the strength you have already shown. Trust that healing is possible—not because grief disappears, but because we learn to live alongside it with greater understanding, compassion, and hope.

Grab the Workbook here

Price: $17.99 CAD

Testimonials

THE GRIEF INSTITUTE

The Grief Institute is dedicated to supporting those navigating both anticipatory grief—the emotions that arise before an expected loss—and the grief that follows, offering a compassionate space for healing, understanding, and growth. We know that grief can occur from the loss of loved ones, however grief can also arise from many types of significant loss. This can include relationship endings, divorce, job loss, life transitions, grieving past versions of yourself, empty nest syndrome, and more. At the Grief Institute, we support you in working through grief for any type of loss you may be facing. Founded with a deep passion for helping those who are grieving, The Grief Institute recognizes that grief can often feel isolating and misunderstood. In a society that struggles to talk about loss, we aim to change the conversation—normalizing grief as a natural response. Through our workbooks, classes, and online programs, we offer tools and guidance to help individuals navigate their emotions with greater acceptance, easing feelings of overwhelm and loneliness as well as a community to connect with who are on a similar journey. At The Grief Institute, we believe that grief, when acknowledged and embraced, can be a transformative part of life’s journey.

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