Grief and Bereavement Counselling
Grief, Bereavement and Loss
Grief is a normal, human reaction to loss. We all go through it at some time. We cannot avoid losses in life, but we can choose how we deal with them. We need to go through the process of grieving, feel the pain of loss and hopefully come through it stronger and wiser.
If we have the courage to allow ourselves to feel the pain of grief, we learn to trust that whatever happens in the future, we will be able to deal with it. We learn that nothing is certain, there are no guarantees in life, but we have developed trust in ourselves and we can begin to fully live our lives again.
Our life will never be the same again, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be ok. We will never forget, but we begin to see that there is a future ahead for us.
Grief can feel like we are on a roller coaster, painful feelings can hit us unexpectedly, like great waves, then subside and then come back again. The smallest things can trigger another big wave. Worst of all is that whilst we are in the midst of our pain, it can feel overwhelming - as if it’s never going to end. If we can ride out the roller coaster, we begin to heal and in time, we are able to get back to life.
The Stages of Grief:
Shock – denial, disbelief, numbness, feeling detached
Anger – despair, guilt, blaming
Bargaining – yearning, searching
Depression – feeling hopeless, helpless, powerless
Acceptance - things will never be the same, we will never forget, but we can see a future ahead for us
There are many events and times in our lives when we may experience grief:
The death of a loved one
Divorce, separation or end of a relationship
Children leaving home
Miscarriage, Stillbirth and Neo-natal Loss
Diagnosis of a Serious or Life threatening illness
Redundancy, retirement or other loss of job or income
Loss of freedom and independence
Moving house
At these difficult, stressful times, we may find ourselves yearning for things to go back to the way they were before. We feel the loss of innocence, the loss of our hopes and dreams, the future we had dreamed of. At these times we need to rebuild our trust in ourselves and the world around us. Counselling can help you find a way to begin to heal and therefore begin to feel safe in the world again.
Ring me on 07956 629339 if you wish to discuss any of the above or just want to find out more about how counselling can help you.
