Grief Raises Risk of Early Death, Study Finds: Steps to Healing
Christer Schmidt
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – A new study published in ‘Frontiers in Public Health’ finds people with overwhelming grief symptoms face a significantly higher chance of dying within 10 years of losing a loved one.
Trauma coach and author Hertha Lund, who specializes in grief work and equine-assisted healing, says early intervention and compassionate support can make the difference between getting stuck in trauma and finding a path forward.
Lund described how some mourners enter “a deep shock response” immediately after a loss, sometimes unable to function for days. “They lose time and space,” she explained. That’s when it’s critical for family and friends to help re-establish structure; regular sleep, meals, and daily routines. “The body speaks first,” Lund said. “If someone stays stuck in that trauma response, it deregulates the whole system”.
Grief often comes in waves, she added, disrupting daily life at first but easing with time. “The waves of grief really disrupt us at first, and then they get farther and farther apart. It won’t last forever,” she said. Supporters, she emphasized, should “be kind, compassionate, listen, [and] let them know that they’re not alone.” Lund recommends staying away from alcohol and caffeine, which can heighten anxiety and depression.
Lund also draws from her training as an equine Gestalt coach, a form of therapy that combines traditional Gestalt psychology, which focuses on awareness, presence, and processing emotions in the moment, with the intuitive responses of horses. In practice, the animal becomes a partner in healing, often mirroring human emotions and providing a grounding presence. Lund has seen horses offer comfort in the raw, immediate stages of grief.
“Oftentimes a horse will come in and literally provide contact and support. I’ve seen horses wrap their heads around somebody and hug them,” she said.
She explained that while horses can provide solace right after a loss, equine Gestalt work can also help people address unresolved grief over time. “A year or two after the loss is when the big shifts come,” Lund noted. “I helped one woman who lost her husband of 38 years, and after working with the horse she was able to live differently afterwards.”
For those without horses, Lund notes that dogs and other animals can provide a similar sense of grounding and connection. What matters most, she said, is finding ways to stay anchored in the body, connected to others, and patient with the healing process.
Her closing message for anyone mourning: “Slow down, allow yourself to feel; get back to your normal routine, eating, sleeping, and be so kind to yourself. We really need to know that we’re not alone and that people are there that love us and support us. That’s what helps us get through grief with the least amount of damage”.