Grief Counseling

Have you recently experiences a major loss or death of a loved one?

Loss, whether it's a loved one, a beloved pet, or your job, can be an incredibly painful experience. The grief that follows is a natural response as you adjust to such a dramatic change in your life. Feeling overwhelmed, sad, angry, guilty, anxious, and emotionally drained are all normal reactions during the grieving process. While there is no set timeline or right way to grieve, most people go through various stages as they come to terms with their loss. This includes denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and finally, acceptance. The journey is unique for everyone, but support can ease your pain.

Common Symptoms of Grief include:

Shock, denial, and disbelief
Intense sadness, loneliness, and longing
Anger, irritability, guilt, and regret
Feeling detached or numb
Fatigue, low energy, and sleep difficulties
Lack of motivation and interest in activities
Questioning faith, meaning in life, and identity

Whatever form grief takes for you, your feelings are valid. Therapy provides a caring, judgment-free space for you to open up and be seen in your grief. Through counseling, you can gain perspective and find pathways to healing.

Types of Grief

We typically think of grief related to the loss of a loved one, but people can experience grief related to various types of loss, including:

Loss of a parent, child, partner, or other family member
Loss of a friend or coworker
Coping with a breakup
Death of a pet
Losing a job
Divorce or separation

Stages of Grief

When people are grieving a major loss or change in their life, they often experience some of the following stages:

Denial - difficulty accepting the reality of the loss, acting as though nothing has changed
Anger - feeling angry, irritable, or resentful about the injustice of the loss. Anger can be felt toward toward the person you lost, those around you, or a higher power.
Bargaining - making deals, promises, or sacrifices to try to prevent or undo the loss
Depression - experiencing intense sorrow, sadness, tearfulness, regret, and withdrawal
Acceptance - learning to acknowledge and make peace with the loss

These stages don't necessarily follow in a particular order. People don't always experience every stage, and you may revisit some stages as you continue processing and working through the loss.

When should you consider grief counseling?

While grief is a natural reaction to loss, you may want to consider additional support if:

You’re experiencing strong, persistent feelings of sadness, depression, guilt, anxiety, anger, emptiness, or numbness
You’re having difficulty concentrating and tackling your usual responsibilities
You’ve started to withdraw from friends and family
You’re having difficulty sleeping
You’ve lost your appetite or find yourself eating more than you did before the loss
You’re having thoughts of harming yourself

How Grief Therapy Can Help

In grief counseling and therapy, we'll work together to process your feelings at your own pace. We'll work to:

Process feelings of sadness and loss
Resolve feelings of anger, guilt, or regret
Develop healthy coping strategies
Reach out to friends or family for support
Rediscover joy and meaning
Move forward while honoring the loss

What you're feeling is valid, and you don't have to cope alone. With time and support, the pain can lessen, and you can heal.