Relationships are hard enough without the grief of perinatal loss. Communication and support, things which are essential to a healthy relationship, may be especially challenging for couples experiencing perinatal loss. Partners may grieve very differently, which may cause misunderstandings and frustration.
Open communication is key to healthy grieving as a couple. Being open, vulnerable, supportive, and honest fosters a healing connection. Listening with compassion and patience is essential, but couples may not know where to start of how to begin a conversation.
Talking About Emotions
Emotions are often complex and tangles after perinatal loss. You and your partner may not know how to feel or how to begin talking about how you feel. This Emotion Wheel, developed by the Junto Institute, is a helpful tool in sorting through feelings.
Begin at the center of the circle and choose the word that best describes how you’re feeling. Keep moving towards the outer edge of the circle till you find a word that best describes the emotion you’re feeling now.
Once you identify the emotion, talk about that emotion with your partner. Help them find the emotion they are feeling and listed to them talk as well. If beginning a verbal conversation is too much, begin by journaling your feelings before you talk about them together.
