Therapist's bereavement leave: It all happened very quickly. One moment we were in session, the next I was offering to end the session early so she could contact her grown up children and rush to the hospital. We had no time to plan what would happen next. Everything was left up in the air.

Random thoughts from the in-between time: T hasn't specifically said tomorrow's session is cancelled (although obviously I know it is), yet part of me keeps thinking “what if I don't turn up and she is expecting me to?” How weird is that? My brain wanting to cling to the normal in an abnormal situation I guess. I'm sure she's probably still got family there, she will be busy with getting the death certificate, sorting out funeral arrangements etc, and won't even have time to give our session a thought (as it should be). But it feels weird knowing that our work is halted for a while without knowing how long for; a couple of weeks, a month, a few months...? I have no way of knowing without her telling me, and I can't intrude upon her grief to ask. I have to be patient and wait for T to get in contact with me.

I'm scared that too much time will go by. I will get used to getting through every week without contact with her. That when I do eventually hear from T, it will feel too difficult to return and stir things up again. I eventually got used to coping without J in my life, but then I had T to help me through that. Who do I have to help me cope without her in my life? L is gone, A is gone. One of my fears is that H will get used to me not going out every week to sessions, and will kick off again when I say I'm resuming them.

Vicarious Grief: I don't even know if this is a thing, but if it isn't, it should be. I didn't 'know' T's husband, I met him briefly once, but I feel as though I knew him from what she shared. However I can empathise with what she is going through, having experienced many bereavements of my own (not spousal though). Grief: unique to every person, yet a shared experience to everyone.

Has anyone here ever dealt with their T suddenly going on bereavement leave due to the death of their partner, and if so how did you deal with it?

Thank you to anyone who reads this lengthy ramble and thank you to anyone who responds.