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Now What?: Grief Basics

marketingteam • October 7, 2015

Written by Memorial Mortuary & Cemeteries in-house grief counselor, Amanda Nelsen:

Now-What-Grief-Basics After the death of a loved one, you may have been told to, “ Let yourself grieve.” But what does that really mean?

Grief is a normal response to loss, any loss. With the death of a loved one, you will experience grief in a variety of ways. You will not grieve the same way your partner, children, or friends grieve. Your grief may involve:

  • Anger – at the deceased or those involved in the death
  • Guilt – “If only I had…” or “I wish I had…”
  • Sleep problems – sleeping too much or too little
  • Appetite problems – eating too much or too little
  • Sadness – often intense and at times you do not expect it
  • Apathy – feeling numb or that life is meaningless
  • Concentration problems
  • Loneliness

There may be loss of relationships, changes in traditions and rituals, and perhaps significant changes in lifestyle. These changes might make you feel hopeless and lost.

You may also have well-intentioned people tell you that you will, “get over it,” with time. We know that one rarely “gets over” or “moves on” from grief – but usually grief lessens in intensity and you are able to find a “new normal” for yourself.

There is no right or wrong way to grieve. However, some thoughts and behaviors may be more beneficial and healthy than others. Sometimes when grief feels too overwhelming or if you feel you are dealing with it in an unhealthy manner, it might be helpful to seek outside or professional help.

If you or a loved one has questions or concerns about grief, please feel free to contact Memorial’s Grief Counselor, Amanda Nelsen, at (801) 718-1520 or amandanelsen@securitynational.com.


Amanda is a Clinical Mental Health Counselor, specializing in individual and family therapy for people of varying backgrounds. She works for Memorial Estates, running their Grief & Loss Counseling program.

She has extensive experience working with adolescents and families in the community. Amanda received her Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Utah. There she focused on Multicultural and Client Centered Counseling.

Amanda started her career working for Salt Lake County Youth Services, serving families from all backgrounds and with a wide variety of issues. She further developed her passion for helping people recover and heal from trauma and loss.

In counseling, Amanda values the trust and safety of the therapeutic relationship. She creates a counseling environment full of compassion, safety, empathy, and understanding. She constantly strives to help to cultivate strong relationships and assist families to cope with the loss of a loved one. Through her open attitude, and the warm environment that she facilitates, families can begin to feel peace as they work through their bereavement.

Memorial Estates, with the help of Amanda Nelsen, is committed to helping you through the loss of your loved one. You may contact Amanda at (801) 718-1520 or amanda.nelsen@securitynational.com

The post Now What?: Grief Basics appeared first on Memorial Mortuaries.

By MemorialAdmin April 5, 2023
John Allen Gilbert, “Pop Pop”, passed away April 1, 2023 at his home in Salt Lake City. He was born July 23, 1956 in Los Angeles, California to John Allen Gilbert and Patricia Sanderson. He married Delene Ann Gilbert on April 16, 1986. John was a mechanic, handyman, and a jack-of-all-trades. He loved music, playing … Continued The post John Allen Gilbert “Pop Pop” appeared first on Memorial Mortuaries.
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By MemorialAdmin September 21, 2022
  Written by Memorial Mortuary & Cemeteries in-house Grief Counselor, Amanda Nelsen How can I get closure? This is a question I hear on a pretty regular basis. And I completely understand what is behind it – we want to be able to put the painful feelings of grief behind us. We want to be … Continued The post Grief Integration appeared first on Memorial Mortuaries.
By MemorialAdmin June 30, 2022
Written by Memorial Mortuary & Cemeteries in-house Grief Counselor, Amanda Nelsen The topic of regret has been on my mind recently. I often hear clients talk about the regrets they had after a loved one died – some become quite reflective on things they could have done differently or “better” while their loved one was … Continued The post Regret appeared first on Memorial Mortuaries.
By MemorialAdmin May 30, 2022
Our most beloved father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend unexpectedly returned to his loving God on May 20, 2022.   Patrick Arthur Murphy was born on July 4, 1942 in Coronado, California. Pat was a twin to his brother, Pete, rounding out the four sons of John Tennyson Murphy and Mable Burnett Murphy. Pat spent … Continued The post Patrick Arthur Murphy appeared first on Memorial Mortuaries.
By MemorialAdmin March 30, 2022
    As a grief therapist, I have seen a lot of people grieving loved ones who died from Covid-19 over the past couple of years. A recent study has shown that people who have experienced the death of a loved one due to Covid-19, have increased mental health issues than a pre-pandemic death (Breen, … Continued The post Navigating Grief During and After the Covid-19 Pandemic appeared first on Memorial Mortuaries.
By MemorialAdmin April 23, 2020
We are grateful your family has chosen to entrust your loved one into our care. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has required us to enact some adjustments to how we conduct arrangement conferences, viewings, funeral or memorial services, and other aspects of our processes. Our goal is to allow you and your family to spend as … Continued The post An Update regarding COVID-19 and its impacts on funeral, burial, and memorial services appeared first on Memorial Mortuaries.
By MemorialAdmin September 26, 2019
  Recently, an article came out highlighting the incredible relationship between a mother Orca and her baby calf, who passed away shortly after being born. The mother, Tahlequah, used her snout to keep her deceased calf afloat for 17 days and covered over 1,000 miles of ocean in the process, an unprecedented display of mourning … Continued The post Why is a funeral so important? appeared first on Memorial Mortuaries.
By MemorialAdmin May 7, 2019
Many of us have seen a loved one struggle with a terminal diagnosis. It isn’t something we like to talk about, but many of us will also get our OWN terminal diagnosis.  Having a terminal diagnosis brings its own type of grief and decisions to be made. How do you grieve your own death before … Continued The post Coping With A Terminal Illness appeared first on Memorial Mortuaries.
By MemorialAdmin January 3, 2019
Written by Memorial Mortuary & Cemeteries in-house grief counselor, Amanda Nelsen: I am often asked for resources for young children who have lost someone close to them. Stories are often a good way to open up dialogue with children and illustrate death in a more concrete fashion. I compiled some of my favorites for easy … Continued The post Grief Resources for Children appeared first on Memorial Mortuaries.
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