Grieving on Mars--Do Men Experience Grief Differently?

When Men Grieve: Why Men Grieve Differently and How You CanHelp by Elizabeth Levang, Ph.D.  Dr. Levang, a psychologist and consultant on grief and bereavement, explained the unique way men grieve and in addition she included men’s personal accounts of their experiences with grief.  Dr. Levang discussed the different languages of grief that men and women have.  While women will talk about their feelings men are more likely to try to think their way through the grief.  Dr. Levang stated that the differences in coping style can cause a division between the two genders.  She explained that at a time when we are most in need of compassion and understanding these differences can isolate husband and wife and make communication even more difficult.

It is so important for grievers to understand how individual grief is.  How we process the grief can be affected by our gender, culture, social status, and family background.  Understanding and allowing others to grieve in their own way, time, and space is paramount to allowing ourselves the freedom to grieve as we need.  This book can help the man who is grieving to be able to honor his way of grieving and for the women in his life to understand him better.