June often brings sunshine, celebrations, vacations, and the start of summer routines. For those who are grieving, however, this season can also bring an unexpected wave of “secondary losses.”
Secondary losses are the additional changes and challenges that follow after the death of a loved one.
Beyond missing the person themselves, grieving individuals may also mourn lost traditions, changes in identity, shifts in family roles, financial security, routines, friendships, or the sense of comfort and predictability they once knew. Summer can magnify these losses as families gather for graduation, weddings, Father’s Day, vacations, and neighborhood events that may now feel incomplete or painfully different.
Children and teens may experience secondary losses in unique ways during June and the summer months. The absence of a parent or loved one may become more noticeable during school breaks, family outings, sports activities, or holidays. A child may grieve not only the person who died, but also the loss of shared experiences they expected to have this summer. Adults may also feel the ache of empty chairs at cookouts, quieter family traditions, or the realization that life continues to move forward while their grief remains present. These losses can feel confusing because they often arise unexpectedly and may continue to surface long after the initial loss.
As we move through the summer season, it is important to give ourselves and our loved ones permission to acknowledge these secondary losses with compassion. Grief is not only about mourning who died, it is also about adjusting to everything that changed afterward. Creating new traditions, speaking openly about difficult feelings, and finding moments of connection and support can help ease some of the weight these losses carry.
Healing does not mean forgetting; it means learning how to carry both love and loss forward together.
For more resources on coping with grief and loss, visit our Grief Care page.
