How does Brian D Smith's perspective on grief compare to traditional grief stages?

Brian does not focus on the classic “five stages of grief” model (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance). Those stages can describe some experiences, but they are often misunderstood as a neat, linear path or a checklist to complete.

Brian’s perspective differs in a few key ways:

• Grief is not linear or finished; it comes in waves and continues as love continues
• The goal is not “getting over it” but learning to live with it and grow through it
• Out-of-order losses (like a child) often need more support and can lead to “complicated grief”
• He uses a continuing bonds approach: your relationship with your loved one continues, just in a new form, rather than ending because of physical death
• He emphasizes practical and spiritual tools (like his GEMS framework: Gratitude, Exercise/Sleep, Mindfulness, Self‑Care) to help people move from merely surviving to eventually thriving

In short, traditional stages try to map grief; Brian’s work focuses on integrating grief into a continuing relationship and a transformed life.

What part of your own grief experience feels most out of sync with the traditional stages?