Recognizing Grief’s Impact on National Bereavement Day

August 29, 2024 / Get Well

Tomorrow, Friday, August 30, is recognized as National Grief Awareness Day. It is also known as National Bereavement Day and has been recognized as a way to raise awareness of the various ways that grief can manifest in our lives. The Office of Employee Wellness and Wellbeing (OEWW) invites our NOVA community to collectively come together and take a pause to recognize how grief impacts us personally and professionally.

Grief isn’t limited to bereavement, but can stem from any significant loss or change in our lives. Grief is a complex process that doesn’t follow a linear path. It often comes in waves, affecting us unexpectedly and at different times.  It’s important to remember that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to grieving, and each person’s experience is unique.  While the grieving process can vary greatly from person to person, understanding the common stages can be helpful.

The stages of grief include:

  • Denial
  • Anger
  • Bargaining
  • Depression
  • Acceptance

NOVA prioritizes your wellness and wellbeing, especially during difficult times. Lean in to your community and resources to help you get through those challenging moments.  There are several resources to help you navigate grief and loss:

  • Anthem’s One-Page Grief Guide: A concise resource with helpful information on coping with grief and loss.  When there is a loss of a colleague, Anthem also offers urgent in-person or virtual workplace grief support and counseling to ALL employees.
  • TimelyCare: Available to ALL employees, regardless of benefits status. Offers 3 free counseling sessions and 24/7/365 availability
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for benefitted employees. Provides Counseling services and additional resources. To find your EAP provider, please visit the DHRM website.

Information for Employees Struggling and/or in Crisis (OEWW curated list)

Remember, you’re not alone. There is support.

Image: Text: National Grief Awareness Day. The 5 Stages of Grief. Illustrations numbered 1 through 5: Woman holding her hands up, palms out, "Denial." Man holding his fist in the air, "Anger." Woman shrugging, "Bargaining." Woman crying, "Depression." Person looking peaceful, "Acceptance." TimelyCare logo

Submitted By:
Faith Redd-Walker, Office of Employee Wellness and Wellbeing, employeewellbeing@nvcc.edu