Before your loss, you knew who you were. You were someone’s spouse, someone’s parent, someone’s professional colleague, someone’s friend. Your roles and relationships formed the framework of your identity. Then loss came and stripped away the role that mattered most. Now you stand in the rubble of your former life wondering who you are if you are not who you used to be.
This piece addresses the identity crisis that often accompanies significant loss. We examine why losing someone or something important can shake your sense of self, how to begin the process of discovering who you are now, and what it means to build a new identity that honors both your past and your present. Learn to distinguish between roles you have lost and the essential parts of yourself that remain.