GRIEF COUNSELING
Are You Struggling To Move Forward After A Significant Loss?
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Has the loss of a loved one shaken up your world and left you questioning your purpose?
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Some days, does life without them feel downright unbearable?
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Do you wish you had someone who could walk with you on your journey of grieving?
There’s nothing in life that’s harder than losing someone near and dear to you. Whether you lost a friend, spouse, family member, or pet, their absence has probably left a gaping hole in your heart. You might feel tearful, depressed, irritable, anxious, and confused. Your loved one played such an important role in your life that you’re not sure who you are without them.
Or perhaps you’re struggling to overcome the loss of a job, a career, or a significant relationship. These losses can also bring up feelings of grief and cause you to question your life’s purpose. As a result, maybe you’re thinking that it’s time to see a grief therapist.
The Grieving Process Can Be Achingly Lonely
Oftentimes, the hardest part of grief is not the immediate aftermath of a significant loss, but the months—even years—after the fact. At first, other people may have flooded you with meals, flowers, and sympathy cards. Yet eventually, the time came when everyone else moved on from the loss and their world went back to normal.
Suddenly, you found yourself all alone in your grief—without a shoulder to cry on or a supportive community to lean on.
Thankfully, you don’t have to walk through the grieving process alone. Our therapists specialize in empowering people to work through their grief and find meaning in the face of loss. Our goal is not to help you move on from your loss but to help you move forward—allowing you to live a life that honors the memory of what you cherished.
We Live In A Society That Doesn’t Leave Room For Grievers
Our culture is deeply afraid of death. Typically, we’re given a week or a month to mourn, and then we’re supposed to go back to work and resume life as normal.
Society does not make room for prolonged grief. In fact, we have labeled it a disorder—"prolonged grief disorder.” Yet there is nothing disordered about grieving. When you love someone deeply, it is natural—even healthy—to mourn their absence long after they have passed.
Unfortunately, most people who struggle with prolonged grief feel like they have nowhere to turn for support. This is why it’s so important to seek ongoing grief support. Grief leaves an emotional scar, and that scar won’t magically heal after a week or a month.
Not Everyone’s Grief Conforms To The 5 Established Stages
Most of us have heard of the five stages of grief—denial, anger, bargaining, acceptance, and depression. But, in reality, grief rarely ever follows such a neat, linear process. It’s messy, it’s unpredictable, and it’s full of strange twists and turns. One moment you may be flooded with joyful memories of your loved one and feel at peace with your loss; the next you may feel beside yourself with sadness.
The truth is that there is no right or wrong way to grieve—everyone mourns in their own way and their own timing. An experienced and compassionate professional can help you understand this so you don’t feel like you’re not grieving “right.”
Counseling Can Help You Find Serenity In The Midst Of Your Grief
Let’s be honest: there may not be people in your life that you feel comfortable crying your heart out to. In therapy, you have the chance to freely grieve however you see fit without any fear of judgment.
The bereavement process is unpredictable, and we’re not going to tell you how to mourn your loved one. But the therapeutic setting can provide a safe space where you can be yourself unreservedly and let grief run its natural course instead of trying to avoid it or push it down. This way, you can find long-term healing rather than just temporary relief.
Grief counseling has helped many of our clients navigate the ups and downs of any kind of loss, whether that includes a loved one, a pet, a job, a relationship, or simply a way of life. We are confident that we can do the same for you. With support, you can learn to integrate painful memories, reduce feelings of overwhelm, and create a life that honors your loved one’s place in your life.
What To Expect In Grief Therapy Sessions
Since everyone grieves in their own unique way, counseling is unique to each client. Typically, we’ll start with coping and grounding skills that you can use to stay calm and centered throughout the healing process. These skills will be personalized to your situation, allowing you to play to your strengths as you navigate the ups and downs of grief.
Once you feel like you have the necessary support in place, we can begin the deeper work of working through your loss together and integrating it into your life in a more meaningful way. Losing a loved one can be deeply traumatizing, and that’s why helping you process and resolve the emotional scar that your loss caused is a priority.
At the same time, however, the work of grief therapy can also be deeply uplifting. Together, we will focus on finding pockets of joy and serenity in the midst of your grief. And we’ll explore rituals and habits that you can cultivate to honor the legacy of your loved one.
Your loved one may be gone, but your love for them won’t fade, neither will their impact on your life. In counseling, you have the opportunity to move forward in your grief journey while still holding onto the love for the person you lost.
You May Be Considering Grief Counseling But Have More Questions…
What if I’m too distraught to talk about my loss?
We are here when you are ready to begin healing—we will never rush you or make you open up about something that’s too painful to discuss. Even if you find it too difficult to talk about your grief, the fact that you’re feeling distraught is a sign that you should probably seek support. The right counselor can help you stabilize your mood and regulate your emotions, enabling you to work through your grief without feeling overwhelmed.
What if I lost my loved one a long time ago?
It is perfectly normal for grief to hit hardest months or even years after a loss. Sometimes, the reason for that is that life keeps us so busy or preoccupied that we’re not able to slow down and process what happened. Other times we might push down our grief, only for it to resurface years later when something triggers it. In any case, seeking therapy even if your loss happened a long time ago can prevent painful emotions from cropping up again later on in life.
Won’t getting over my loss be dishonoring to my loved one?
At our practice, we don’t believe in “getting over” or “moving on” from a significant loss, because it’s just not possible. Humans are deeply relational and emotional creatures. We’re simply not capable of magically pushing aside or forgetting someone (or something) that had an enormous impact on us. That’s why our priority as therapists is helping you move forward instead of moving on. This means balancing two things: crafting a new life for yourself in the wake of your loss while still finding ways to hold your loved one’s memory sacred.
You Don’t Have To Walk Alone On Your Journey of Grief And Healing
Our counselors are here to support you throughout the bereavement process and provide new ways to cope with your loss. If you want to learn more about our approach to grief counseling and how it can help you heal, feel free to contact us.
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