Mandira Bedi recalls seeking therapy after husband’s death: How it helps

5 min readNew DelhiJul 16, 2026 05:00 PM IST

Mandira Bedi, 54, recently broke down while remembering her late husband, Raj Kaushal, who died in 2021. She expressed at a recent event that therapy helped her cope.

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.

At the film Max, Min and Meowzaki’s trailer launch, the actor and host shared, “Therapy, counselling and trying to understand myself better have been important parts of my life. I first went to therapy about 20 years ago. When I told my mother that I had attended a therapy session, she asked, ‘Why? What happened to you?’ I told her that I needed to get out what was going on in my mind. My mother then said, ‘You could have talked to me.’ But I replied, ‘No.'”

The actor broke down and further added, “Whenever I felt something was wrong or unbalanced in my life, I sought the help of a therapist and counsellor. It always benefited me a lot. When I lost my husband, therapy became a source of healing for me, which is why I resorted to it.”

Kaushal died of a heart attack in 2021 at the age of 50.

Mandira Bedi remembers Raj Kaushal (Photo: Express Archives)

With her admission, Mandira Bedi reminded us of something many grieving spouses quietly live with every day: time may soften the sharpness of loss, but it does not erase love. “Years may pass, life may move forward, routines may return, yet certain conversations, anniversaries, songs or memories can still bring tears to the surface. That is not a sign that someone is “still stuck.” It is often a sign that the relationship mattered deeply,” reflected Delnna Rrajesh, psychotherapist and life coach.

She said that one of the biggest misconceptions about grief is that it follows a timeline. “People often assume that after six months or a year, someone should have “moved on.” In reality, grief does not work like a calendar. It is deeply personal. Some days a person may laugh wholeheartedly, work efficiently and enjoy life. On another day, a simple photograph or familiar scent can transport them back to the moment of loss. Healing is rarely linear. It moves in waves,” Delnna shared.

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Losing a spouse is one of the most profound psychological losses a person can experience because it is not simply the loss of an individual. “It is the loss of a shared future. It is losing the person who witnessed your ordinary days, celebrated your victories, comforted your fears, knew your habits, understood your silences and shared your dreams. Suddenly, every part of daily life changes,” shared Delnna.

One of the greatest gifts we can offer someone who is grieving is not advice but presence. We often feel pressured to say something profound, yet statements such as “Be strong,” “Everything happens for a reason,” or “Time heals everything” can unintentionally make grieving individuals feel misunderstood. More often than not, they simply need someone willing to sit with their pain without trying to fix it.

How can loved ones support someone who has lost a spouse?

Delnna shared some gentle ways to help, including:

*Continue checking in long after the funeral is over. Grief often becomes lonelier once everyone else returns to normal life.

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*Allow them to speak about their spouse without feeling that they should “move on.”

*Offer practical support such as helping with paperwork, meals, or daily responsibilities rather than only saying, “Let me know if you need anything.”

*Remember important dates such as birthdays, anniversaries, and the anniversary of the loss, as these can be particularly emotional.

*Encourage professional support if grief begins interfering significantly with daily functioning or if hopelessness or severe depression emerges.

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Because the opposite of grief is not forgetting. The opposite of grief is learning to continue living while allowing love to remain part of your story.