Sorting parents' belongings is often a bittersweet task
Clinical psychologist Peter Lichtenberg, director of Wayne State University\'s Institute of Gerontology, says an inability to go through and sort through parents\' belongings may signal the need for grief counseling to help cope with the acute sense of loss. \"Coming face-to-face with all the possessions that have so much meaning not only to the parents, but to the children can be such a powerful emotional experience,\" he says. Ideally, the clearing-out process is a healing time for siblings to go through and reminisce. Holding on to particular items that have special meaning or value is a good way to honor a loved one\'s memory, Lichtenberg says.
