Grief Counseling
Are You Struggling with the Loss of a Loved One?
Do you feel intense sadness or anger in response to the death of someone you cared about?
Are you struggling to process your emotions or make sense of what happened?
Do you feel guilty when you smile, laugh or experience happiness?
Are you questioning when, or even if, you’ll stop feeling sad and how you’ll ever get back to living normal life?
We often need support with managing our grief. It can be extremely difficult to navigate a loss and process all the emotions that come with it.
You may feel consumed by your grief and not want to get out of bed or leave the house. You may feel alone and as though no one understands what you are experiencing. You may be constantly reminded of the person you lost or even avoid certain things that make you think of them, like a favorite movie or restaurant. You may not want to share these feelings out of fear of burdening others. You may even replay the situation over and over in your head and wonder if there was something you could have done to prevent the loss.
Grief counseling can help.
Grief Impacts Our Lives in Many Ways
When we experience loss, our brains are constantly spinning trying to make sense of the situation.
At first, it may not seem real. It may be hard to believe, especially if it’s not someone we see or talk to every day. This may cause it to take longer to set in. It may not hit us until we go to send that person a text or want to share news with them.
You may be consumed by memories and have difficulty being fully present with family, friends or even at work. It may feel impossible to get your loss off your mind, and you may feel guilty when you realize you haven’t been thinking about that person or situation, which leads to you needing support for your grief.
You may struggle getting back into your routine and feel as though you’re dropping the ball in your personal and professional life.
These feelings and reactions are completely normal. Speaking with a grief counselor can help you navigate these emotions as you try to process your loss, honor the memory of loved ones, and move forward in the healthiest way possible.
Most People Struggle after Losing a Loved One
According to an article published in Psychiatric Times, 40 percent of people grieving meet criteria for depression one month following their loss; 24 percent meet criteria for depression after two months.
Our relationships are one of the most important things in our lives. Many people have and maintain bonds from various stages of life, and our earliest memories often involve people we love and care about. Therefore, it’s natural to have a hard time coping with a loss and not wanting to let go.
When we lose someone, it often feels like the world stops. We may shut down and not want to live our lives. Our grief may impact the decisions we make and how we relate to others. Pursuing bereavement support can help you cope during these difficult times and get a better handle on your past, present and future.
At some point, we will all lose someone we love. This makes grief even harder to deal with because it feels inevitable that it will happen again. It also makes us confront our own mortality, sometimes for the first time in our lives. This can feel scary and overwhelming.
Relationships are complex. Sometimes someone with whom we had a strained relationship passes away, which complicates our grief. We may be angry with the person for things they said or did or angry with ourselves for not making amends. Grief counseling can help you process these situations and the challenges within the relationship, so that you can let go and feel at peace.
In these circumstances, speaking to a grief therapist is often the first step in processing loss and beginning to move forward.
Every Loss is Unique
How we respond to the loss of a loved one can be impacted by any number of factors, especially our relationship with the departed. The passing of a parent, grandparent, sibling, friend, co-worker, or pet can affect us in similar yet unique ways. Losing a loved one to illness, accident or suicide also presents unique challenges. Sometimes we start to experience grief and need support before a person has passed as they may have a terminal illness or be in hospice.
Not Every Loss Involves Death
The death of a loved one is a common cause of grief, but other life events can bring about similar emotions. We may be mourning a divorce (ours or someone else’s), the end of a friendship, the loss of a job, or even moving away from home. In each of these cases, we are saying goodbye to someone or something that had a significant influence on our life. Grief and loss counseling can help you navigate these life-changing transitions.
Grief Counseling Can Help You Process Your Loss
We all have a unique grief journey, and we all respond to loss in different ways and on different timelines. We may be “doing well” for several weeks, months or even years, but something could happen that triggers certain emotions and suddenly we feel consumed by our loss again.
The reality is grief never fully goes away. It will be with us to some degree for the rest of our lives. But seeking grief and loss counseling can help you process your grief and the emotions that come with it. You will learn coping skills for managing difficult or triggering situations and discover how to communicate with others about your experiences and needs.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to grief support. We approach each client and each session differently based on your specific situation. With grief, our needs are always changing. You might feel sad one day and angry the next. This is a natural part of the grieving process, but it can often feel confusing or overwhelming. We may even feel “crazy” for having so many different emotions.
The goal is not to forget our grief. In fact, we don’t want to forget. We want to remember and honor our loved ones. That’s why we focus on helping you find your “new normal.” We want you to carry that person or phase of life with you, while also lightening the burden you feel. We want you to feel lighter and able to find enjoyment in life again. You don’t move on; you move forward.
Our grief counselors have completed trainings and received certifications specifically to help individuals process grief. They are here to help when you need them most.
You Still May Have Doubts About Grief Counseling
It won’t help.
If you ignore grief, it won’t go away. Having a safe outlet where you can talk through your emotions has been shown to help people cope with their grief. Grief therapy can help you build coping skills to handle certain situations and challenges outside of therapy. These skills, along with having a better understanding of who you are as a person, can even help you handle challenges unrelated to your grief.
It’s too painful to talk about.
It will be hard and emotional, but like most things in life, we must work at something to see improvement. Processing grief is no different. Your grief therapist will be there to support and encourage you as you experience the pain and come out on the other side of it. It’s important to remember that we are often stronger than we give ourselves credit for.
It won’t bring the person back.
While grief counseling cannot bring the person back, it can help you honor their memory and move forward in a healthy, meaningful way. You will explore your relationship with that person and what they meant to you, which can help you feel connected to them, remind you of the happiness they brought you, and accept and let go of hardships you may have experienced within the relationship.
You Can Process Your Grief and Move Forward
Perspective offers grief therapy both in-person and online. Our grief therapists are here to help, and we understand reaching out and getting started is often the hardest part. That’s why we try to make it as easy as possible by allowing you to schedule online at your convenience. You don’t have to speak to anyone until you are ready to do so.
You can request a free 15-minute consultation to get a feel for your grief therapist and ensure they’re the right fit.
We value the opportunity to help you navigate this journey.
