In the Pixar Movie "Up" Carl is grieving the loss of his beloved wife Ellie and is also in danger of losing his home. Consumed by grief and loss, Carl attaches his house to balloons and takes to the sky. His goal, to live out the dream Ellie and he had of traveling to Paradise Falls, having a home on the cliff's edge and being adventurers like their hero Charles Muntz. During the course of the movie Carl does fulfill his promise to Eliie by landing the house on the cliff beside Paradise Falls but more importantly Carl finds new purpose and connection by mentoring a young boy named Russell.   

Throughout the course of our years, we all experience a loss at some point in our lives. In fact, statistics show that 1 in 5 children will experience the death of someone close to them before 18 years of age. Feelings of grief and loss are not always associated with death, however, but commonly surface after a loss of some kind – whether it is the loss of a loved one, a severed relationship, a pregnancy, a pet, or a job.

When a person loses something or someone valuable to them, feelings of grief can be overbearing. Grief can leave a person feeling sad, hopeless, isolated, irritable, and numb by affecting them mentally, emotionally, and physically. It’s important to understand that healing from grief is a process and everyone copes with this emotion differently.

Many people don’t know what to say or do when a person is grieving, but be sure to have patience with the individual (including yourself) throughout the entire process.

And like our protagonist Carl in "Up" the grieving person eventually gets to a place where they can both miss the person and still embark on new adventures, opening their hearts to new people and experiences while keeping the memory of the loved one with them. Carl further does this by giving his new friend Russell the "Ellie badge" that Ellie had given him when they were children.

In cases where professional intervention is needed, treatment methods for grief may involve helping the client:

• Improve coping skills
• Reduce feelings of blame and guilt
• Explore and process emotions

Consider seeking professional support if feelings of grief do not ease over time.

 (Photo by: Noah hill via Unsplash)