When Grief Affects Family Dynamics

Family arguments. Sudden outbursts. Pent-up frustrations. Isolation. Avoidance. Beyond what one may feel during their grief journey, grief also affects family dynamics. Especially in instances where the family loses a parent/caregiver, navigating life after loss can be difficult. 

Grieving As A Family

Everyone has a different grief journey. While one family member is experiencing denial, the other could be experiencing anger. With grief having a different impact on each person, this could lead to family arguments or miscommunication among family members. 

Scenario: A daughter misreads her father’s silence as him being angry and not wanting to be around her. As a result, she isolates herself from him and suppresses her emotions. In turn, the father thinks his daughter is angry at him, and he tries to give her space. 

In cases where family members isolate themselves as a means to cope, this is a common defense mechanism (avoidance). While giving each other space can be healthy (since each person needs time to process this new life change), too much space leads to avoiding each other altogether, which has negative effects. 

There are two healthy recommended ways of navigating grief as a family: family meetings and professional help. 

Just as releasing emotions is key in an individual’s grief journey, not suppressing feelings is key when it comes to grieving as a family. Family dynamics shift due to the absence of a loved one, especially in cases of the loss of a caregiver/parent. Fostering open communication increases understanding. With open communication, everyone has a better understanding of each other's feelings, which lessens the probability of misunderstandings.

Open communication also allows for empathy and reinforces to family members that they are in this together.

References

Borman, Alex. “Understanding the Stages of Grief and Their Impact on Family Dynamics.” American SPCC, 27 Dec. 2024,

americanspcc.org/understanding-the-stages-of-grief-and-their-impact-on-family-dynamics/.

Cruse Bereavement Support. “Family Conflict after Someone Dies.” Cruse Bereavement Support, www.cruse.org.uk/understanding

grief/managing-grief/family-conflict-after-someone-dies/.

Farewelling. “Understanding Grief and Its Impact on Family Dynamics.” Www.myfarewelling.com,

www.myfarewelling.com/article/understanding-grief-and-its-impact-on-family-dynamics.

Luttman, Jennifer. “9 Family Therapy Activities to Improve Communication.” Overcomewithus.com, 2025, www.overcomewithus.com/blog/9

family-therapy-activities-to-improve-communication#activity-7-active-listening-exercises. Accessed 29 July 2025.