When Parents Grieve What They Thought Would Be
written by Dr. Liz Matheis, published on psychology today
When we experience a loss, whether physical or perceived, we tend to respond with shock and disbelief. We may then experience an intense flood of emotions, all while trying to accept a reality that we did not want.
As parents, when our child is diagnosed with a medical condition, learning disability, autism, or anything else that could be serious and/or long-lasting, we may experience grief and mourning as we struggle to understand what we are feeling and why we are feeling this way.