Anticipatory Grief:
Living In The In-Between
A live event with David Kessler Â
When someone you love is dying, your heart doesn’t wait to break.
The grief begins long before the final goodbye.
There is a private, daily ache in walking beside someone who is slowly leaving — even as they’re still here.
There is love. There is devotion.
And there is also quiet heartbreak.
If you’re a caregiver or care partner, that grief often lives behind the scenes.
You’re showing up and holding everything together. Making decisions. Staying strong.
All while your inner world is crumbling in ways few people see.
This kind of grief isn’t always spoken. But it’s very much here — in the now.
You may feel exhausted, overwhelmed, tender, or numb.
You may not even realize that what you’re carrying has a name.
Free Video
Grief expert David Kessler has spent decades helping people find meaning and presence in the midst of life’s most difficult losses.
He knows that anticipatory grief can feel lonely, confusing, and hard to explain — even to those closest to us.
This free hour is for you — and for anyone supporting others through this kind of invisible, anticipatory loss.
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Anticipatory grief is real. It’s complex. And it deserves to be named.
In this free, one-hour session, we’ll explore:
- What anticipatory grief actually is — and how it differs from traditional grief
- How it shows up emotionally, physically, and relationally
- The invisible weight of caregiving and slow goodbyes
- Why this kind of grief is often misunderstood — even by professionals
- How to bring more self-compassion, permission, and language to the experience
This session is open to anyone living through anticipatory grief, as well as those who support others in this in-between time.
You don’t need to be “doing it right.”
You just need a place where your experience is seen, and your heart can exhale.
David Kessler
David Kessler is a grief specialist, speaker, and author of six books, including his latest bestselling book, Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief. He co-authored two books with Elisabeth Kubler Ross. His first book, The Needs of The Dying received praise from Saint (Mother) Teresa.
David’s personal experience as a child witnessing a mass shooting while his mother was dying in a hospital helped him begin his journey. For most of his life, David has taught physicians, nurses, counselors, police, and first responders about the end of life, trauma, and grief. However, despite his vast knowledge of grief, his life was turned upside down by the sudden death of his twenty-one-year-old son.
He now facilitates a new model of online grief groups that are attended by people worldwide and he leads one of the most respected online grief certificate programs. He is the founder of Grief.com which has over five million visits yearly from 167 countries.
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