SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – A new study published in ‘Frontiers in Public Health’ finds people with overwhelming grief symptoms face a significantly higher chance of dying within 10 years of losing a loved one.
Trauma coach and author Hertha Lund, who specializes in grief work and equine-assisted healing, says early intervention and compassionate support can make the difference between getting stuck in trauma and finding a path forward.
Lund described how some mourners enter “a deep shock response” immediately after a loss, sometimes unable to function for days. “They lose time and space,” she explained. That’s when it’s critical for family and friends to help re-establish structure; regular sleep, meals, and daily routines. “The body speaks first,” Lund said. “If someone stays stuck in that trauma response, it deregulates the whole system”…