With any loss, the process of grief is expected. However, the degree to which we feel grief is largely dependent on how close we were to the individual who has passed on, and our personal experience in dealing with grief in the past. When it comes to family losses, it is often difficult for people to grieve because everybody around them is experiencing different levels of grief as well. That is where grief counseling, or bereavement counseling, can help.
Understanding Your Grief
One primary goal of grief counseling is to help you understand the grief you are experiencing, either in anticipation of a loss or as a result of a past loss. Understanding the stages of grief and how our minds and bodies process those feelings can help you take strides toward assimilating to a new life without your loved one.
Giving Grief Space
Another important aspect of grief counseling is simply giving you space to express your grief openly without fear of judgement. Oftentimes family and friends are afraid to express their grief authentically because they worry about how they will be perceived in relation to other people’s grief or problems. Grief counseling creates a safe environment for expressing all aspects of grief, including anger, selfishness, fear and sadness.
Identifying Risky Behaviors
In some cases, a person who is experiencing extreme grief will begin to demonstrate risky behaviors which can vary from missing too much work to drug abuse. Grief counseling is an effective way to help identify cases where the individual may be at risk and does not appear to be adjusting to their new life without their loved one. Ultimately, a grief counselor can help determine whether the actions in question are part of a normal grieving process or if there are other factors that may be preventing the individual from moving on.
Grief counseling is a multi-faceted approach to working through grief in a healthy way. Grief counselors are trained to identify various signs of grief and create a treatment or therapy plan that fits the individual. Since grief is not a one-size-fits-all experience, the approach to grief counseling tends to be open-ended and fluid, allowing each individual to come to terms with the loss in ways that relate back to the self.
At Wings of Hope we offer grief counseling services to families in need. If you or a family member are struggling with a loss, we invite you to contact our team today and speak with one of our grief specialists right away.
