When it Comes to Grief, One Size Doesn’t Fit All

By Office of Communications & Marketing
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October 19, 2022

It is often joked that taxes and death are the only certainties in life, and while we all have the same general reaction to taxes, the ways by which we grieve the death of a friend or family member varies greatly from person to person. Cultural celebrations of the dead such as Halloween, All Saints Day and Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).

Michelle Saenz, a licensed professional clinician associate and a mental health clinician at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) School of Medicine, said celebrations of the dead such as Halloween, All Saints Day and Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) are often cultural traditions that have been passed down for generations. Ireland and Scotland are generally recognized as celebrating Halloween by decorating and leaving items for deceased family members and welcoming their spirits back. Other places such as Poland, Cambodia and Italy also remember the departed souls of their loved ones with similar cultural celebrations.