The Use of Colour to Show Movement in Grief

“Authors Marina L. Reed and Marian Grace Boyd have created a platform of colours – similar to a pain scale we use with children – each colour suggesting the power of emotions that ebb and flow...

From intense red to orange, yellow, green, turquoise and pale blue, each colour section reflects the increased ease with which we take sips of breath as we experience stronger, weaker, raging, gentler feelings in our in ever-changing dance of loss.

Reed and Boyd have given us a watercolour of emotional phases that have no structured order – just gentle understanding and reflections of our healing path.”   - Katherine Elliott, psychotherapist.

Grief is not a linear process. The ‘stages of grief’ were initially designed by Kübler-Ross’ and are often cited as we try to understand loss through Stages.  Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way.  Kubler-Ross’s work was tremendously important in helping us to understand end-of-life preparation - palliative, anticipatory grief - but not grief following the death of a loved one.  Rather than moving from one stage to another, grief is a journey that cycles back and forth, in and out, as you find your way home.

We use colours to silently and powerfully speak to the movement in grief.  We feel this will give you a new way to speak about what you are feeling, to yourself and to others.  “I’m in a red Moment”, and people will know the level of intensity.  “I’m in a turquoise Moment”, and people will understand you are finding comfort and solace in your grief.

Colours have universal themes that have resonated throughout history. The colour choices were instinctual for us from the beginning.

Join us in this new paradigm of understanding the movement of grief.