Grief Counselling
The experience of loss, and its resulting grief, are at the root of many everyday challenges. We live in a culture that generally prefers to avoid grief and mourning. We are expected to move on, buck up, and be strong. Funerals are getting more and more generic, replaced with celebrations, or skipped altogether. Conversations about death and illness are awkward and, often, dodged. Individuals who avoid actively mourning significant losses are seen as strong, self-assured, and sensible. This is rarely the case. We are not wired to rationalize ourselves through grief, and nobody can mourn alone.
Grief can result from
- death (human or companion animal),
- job loss,
- relationship dissolution,
- gender transitioning,
- retirement,
- addiction recovery,
- a public tragedy,
- illness,
- injury,
- aging,
- dementia, and
- other life transitions.
Grief and active mourning are necessary, healthy processes. Alternatively, unreconciled grief can lead to many different issues, including:
- lack of joy in one’s life,
- depression,
- anxiety,
- relationship conflicts,
- suicidality,
- health problems,
- work disruption,
- loss of self,
- confusion, and
- memory loss.
Some losses are more significant than others and can cause severe debilitation. Also, a number of less significant losses in our lives can have a profound effect on our quality of life over time. A current loss can trigger unresolved issues from prior losses, and can be a very confusing and difficult time. Grief can also be passed down through generations, having a widespread effect on entire families. Having a place to learn about and reconcile grief is crucial to heal and emerge ready to live a fulfilling life.
Grief does not follow a timeline or prescribed stages. Everyone experiences grief in their own unique way. I offer to my clients a safe space to heal.
Speaking Grief Full Documentary from WPSU Creative Services on Vimeo.