Grief and loss

Grief is a normal response to loss. When a loved one dies, that death can cause emotional and physical pain, as well as distress, anger, anxiety and disbelief.  Therapy can help with the coping process by working toward expressing those distressing feeling.  For those experiencing prolonged grief, the therapy process can assist in rebuilding a routine and finding a new pattern of daily life.  The ultimate goal of grief counseling is to gain acceptance of the loss and still be able to see a path forward in your own life. 

Symptoms of prolonged grief (where significant grief symptoms last over 12 months) include:

• Feeling your life is meaningless
• Inability to accept the loss
• Avoidance of reminders that the person has died
• Continued intense emotions
• Trouble or inability to reintegrate into your life (work, school, social life, self-care)
• Feelings of numbness
• Feeling of loneliness