Sandra was estranged from her mother after experiencing childhood trauma. The grief when she died was complicated

‘The finality of death was difficult to stomach because it left so many questions.’ Photograph: Jack Sullivan/Alamy

For some of us, the death of a parent brings a period of bereavement and deep grief which slowly abates with the passing of time. For others, the story is more complicated.

Some find themselves unable to move past this loss and may continue grieving intensely for years and be unable to function because of the depth of the grief. Others find that they experience persistent difficult feelings such as anger or guilt. When the relationship with the deceased parent has been strained, these negative feelings may take over.