Can something as simple as writing letters to a loved one who has died really help with grief? Yes it can, and here's why:

1. You might never need to express yourself more than when you’ve lost someone precious in your life. Bottling up such profound feelings is just not good for you. Statistics show that people are vulnerable to health issues when someone close to them has died, and part of the reason for that is bottled up grief.

2. Writing your way through a traumatic experience not only makes you feel better by releasing endorphin-like hormones, studies show it can help you recover from the loss.

3. Grief is deep and there are things about it we may not even realize until we allow our thoughts to come out on the page. Your own words have the power to bring you a sense of peace, if only you’ll listen.

4. Writing to someone you can no longer see is a creative act that helps you find new perspectives on your loss. A change in perspective can give you healthy new ways to deal with your feelings.

From the darkness of grief, writing is an act of self-love, which leads to self-awareness, which leads to grace. Invisible Ink’s Guided Grief Journal will lead you there.

© 2014 Kathy Curtis Ink