Grief refers to the normal, natural reaction to loss—an emotional response, either through a death or from ending a relationship It is a major component of the human emotional repertoire, affecting how people feel both mentally and physically, how they cope, interact with others, and see the world.

Each year more than 14 percent of Americans 18 and older (about 36 million people) experience the death of either a parent, spouse, sibling or child. How long it takes to work through the grief of a death is different for each person. There is no preordained "right" time limit for grieving to take place--there are too many variables to predict with any accuracy how long someone will grieve. Every person is unique, with a different personality, coping skills, previous experience of loss, relationship with the one who died, and so on. Responses also vary depending upon the circumstances associated with...