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People experiencing grief need others to 'show up,' Kansas City therapist says

Licensed clinical social worker Clara Sainte discusses dealing with grief and the signs of prolonged grief disorder
Alisha Saucedo
Clara Sainte, a licensed clinical social worker, discusses dealing with grief and the signs of prolonged grief disorder

People experiencing grief cannot be expected to fall neatly into stages and timetables. The way experts look at and characterize grief is changing, including the newly recognized prolonged grief disorder.

Experiencing grief is different for each person. For some, it's an outward expression of action, while others may internalize the emotion. It can last for an extended period of time, impacting day-to-day life.

Prolonged grief disorder is a recently-recognized diagnosis for someone who is experiencing "persistent pervasive symptoms" one year after a death, social worker Clara Sainte told KCUR's Up To Date.

"So beyond our cultural norms, beyond what we would expect grief to look like," Sainte said.

Grief can come in waves, and it's important for others to be supportive with no timeline or expectations of when it should end or how it should look.

"The majority of the work in my office isn't about the death itself, or the cancer, or the trauma. It's about the lack of the way people show up," Sainte said.

Diagnosing Prolonged Grief Disorder webinar 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. Friday, Apr. 12. Registration required.

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When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.
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