Serious emotional disturbance is something that will affect your child and family for a long time, if not for the rest of your 
child’s life. Your family is beginning a long and perilous journey. You may be experiencing feelings of grief and loss. All 
the feelings you are experiencing are normal and are experienced by many parents in your situation.

Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross studied grief a number of years ago and discovered that there are five specific types of 
feelings that people experience in this process:

Shock
Denial
Depression
Anger
Acceptance

It is also normal to experience feelings of loss and to feel overwhelmed by the burden of care for your child.