Grief Medicine
A clinical, compassionate approach to loss
Grief is not a diagnosis.
But it is one of the most powerful physiological states the human body can experience.
Loss alters the nervous system, the immune response, hormone signaling, sleep architecture, digestion, inflammation, and cognition.
It changes how the body perceives safety. It changes how the brain processes time. It changes how energy moves through the body.
Yet in medicine, grief is rarely addressed directly.
It is often minimized, pathologized, or bypassed altogether.
This work exists because that approach is incomplete.
Grief is not “just emotional”
Grief affects the body in measurable, predictable ways.
In clinical practice grief is often associated with:
Dysregulated cortisol patterns
Insomnia or non-restorative sleep
Immune suppression or chronic inflammation
Digestive dysfunction and appetite changes
Hormonal disruption
Cognitive fog, anxiety, or emotional numbness
Worsening of pre-existing conditions
These are not character flaws.
They are physiological responses to loss.
Grief medicine begins by acknowledging that reality.
Why conventional care often misses this…
Most healthcare systems are designed to:
Treat symptoms in isolation
Address grief only when it becomes “pathological”
Offer medication without context
Move on quickly
But grief does not operate on a timeline.
And the body does not “bounce back” simply because time has passed.
Ignoring grief does not make it resolve faster.
It often makes it settle deeper into the body.
What grief medicine is
Grief medicine is a whole-person approach to supporting the body and mind through loss.
It does not rush healing.
It does not demand resilience.
It does not ask you to be “strong.”
Instead, it focuses on:
Stabilizing the nervous system
Supporting sleep and circadian rhythm
Reducing inflammatory load
Protecting hormonal balance
Preserving cognitive and emotional capacity
Creating physiological safety so the body can process loss
This is not therapy replacement.
It is medical support for a body under extraordinary stress.
What grief medicine is not
Grief medicine is not:
Toxic positivity
“Everything happens for a reason” thinking
Spiritual bypassing
Productivity disguised as healing
A demand to move on
Grief is not something to fix.
But the body can be supported while it carries it.
A personal note
This work is deeply personal.
I did not come to grief medicine as an abstract clinical interest. I came to it through lived experience through loss that reshaped my body, my nervous system, my priorities, and my understanding of healing.
I know what it feels like when the world keeps moving while your internal landscape has fundamentally changed.
I know what it feels like to function while not feeling whole.
And I know how easily grief can be misunderstood in medical settings.
This work exists because grief deserves more than silence.
Who this work is for
Grief medicine may be appropriate if you:
Have experienced the loss of a partner, child, parent, or loved one
Feel physically depleted long after the initial loss
Are “coping” but not truly recovering
Notice changes in sleep, hormones, digestion, immunity, or mood since your loss
Feel unseen or rushed by conventional care
You do not need to be in crisis to receive support.
And you do not need to explain or justify your grief.
How care is approached…
Care is individualized and proceeds gently.
Depending on your needs, this may include:
Clinical assessment of stress physiology
Support for sleep and circadian regulation
Nervous system stabilization
Targeted nutritional and botanical support
Hormonal and metabolic support when appropriate
Ongoing care that respects the pace of grief
There is no formula.
There is no forced timeline.
Grief changes you…
and that is not a failure
Many people come into grief care believing they need to “get back” to who they were.
In reality, grief often asks for integration, not restoration.
The goal of this work is not to erase loss…
it is to help the body carry it without breaking.
If you are considering this work…
You do not need to be ready.
You do not need the right words.
You do not need to know what you want.
If something here resonates, that is enough.
Grief medicine exists to support you…quietly, respectfully, and without expectation.
If you’d like to explore whether this work is appropriate for you, you may apply to become a patient.
Care is selective and individualized to ensure depth, safety, and attention.