Spouses of Terminal Cancer Patients - Business Succession & Grief

In this week's #AskTheTherapist in The New York Times, a woman writes in that her husband has terminal cancer and she’s afraid to talk to him about the business they run together and how to manage it after his death. Will it upset him to talk about life after he’s gone? Not only do they need to talk about the business—but, I suggest, they might start by talking about their grief. Because grief doesn’t begin at the moment of death. Therapists call this anticipatory grief. It shows up wherever we are slowly losing someone or something we love like in cases of terminal illness, a loved one whose memory is fading, leaving a city or a beloved career. Both people usually feel it, but often neither knows how to say so. Silence doesn't spare either person. It just means you grieve alone, twice. So talk about it all—the business, the grief, the love, the loss—while you still can. Share this with someone who might need it. 🔗 Read my advice in The New York Times: bit.ly/3RzQmrI ✉️ Submit your question: [email redacted] 🔔 Subscribe to the column: bit.ly/4mZtJaN