Grief & Loss
Most people will experience grief and loss at some point in their lives. Grief is a reaction to any form of loss. Bereavement is a type of grief involving the death of a loved one.
Bereavement and grief encompass a range of feelings from deep sadness to anger. The process of adapting to a significant loss can vary dramatically from one person to another.
Grief can feel overwhelming, but we can help. Call (317) 754-0808 to schedule an appointment or book one online today.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is grief?
Many people would probably tell you that grief occurs following the death of a family member or close friend. But grief and loss are not only limited to the death of a loved one. Grief can come at the hands of a broken relationship, the loss of a job, the death of a pet, or a disabling injury or disease. The bottom line is that if you’ve lost someone or something that was an important part of your life, you may experience debilitating grief as a result.
What are the symptoms of grief?
There’s no handbook for how someone should grieve and everyone does so differently after a loss. While some bottle it up, others are paralyzed by the onslaught of grief, making it difficult for them to function on a daily basis.
That said, there are some common displays of the grieving process, including:
- Feeling depressed
- Frequent crying
- Numbness or shock
- Loneliness and isolating behaviors
- Guilt
- Fear
- Anxiety
- Increased drug or alcohol use
- Loss of interest in activities you once used to enjoy
Many components of grief often mimic depression and can turn into a depressive episode if left unresolved.
How does therapy help with grief and loss?
People often talk about “processing” when it comes to grief and loss. This means working through your emotions. The therapists at The Counseling Center can help you move forward through acceptance, letting go, or reframing the loss. For example, instead of a memory creating a feeling of loss, your therapist helps you remember the person or thing fondly.
During your one-on-one therapy sessions, your therapist discusses any feelings or emotions you may have and suggests ways to better deal with them in order to restore your life to normal. While there’s nothing that can make up for the loss, how you deal with it moving forward is where therapy is most helpful.
To learn more about therapy for grief and loss, call The Counseling Center at (317) 754-0808.
