Grief and Loss Counseling
Grief and loss are deeply personal and complex emotional experiences that arise when we lose something or someone significant in our lives. Although these emotions are universally felt, the way people experience and cope with them can vary widely depending on individual circumstances, relationships, and coping mechanisms.
1. What is Grief?
Grief is the emotional, physical, and psychological response to loss. It is not a single feeling but a range of emotions, such as sadness, anger, guilt, disbelief, or even relief, depending on the nature of the loss. Grief is typically associated with death, but it can also arise from other types of loss, such as:
- Loss of a relationship (e.g., divorce, separation, or estrangement)
- Loss of health (e.g., a chronic illness or injury)
- Loss of identity or purpose (e.g., losing a job or facing retirement)
- Loss of a pet or other cherished companion
Grief can also be triggered by less tangible losses, like a lost dream, a change in lifestyle, or a missed opportunity. The process of grieving is often seen as a journey rather than a singular event, and it unfolds over time.
2. What is Loss?
Loss refers to the event or circumstance in which something important to a person is no longer accessible or present. This could be the death of a loved one, the end of a significant relationship, or the loss of something integral to a person’s sense of security, happiness, or identity.
Loss brings with it a sense of emptiness or absence. It can feel like a void that needs to be filled or a gap that cannot be crossed. Loss forces individuals to confront change, the impermanence of life, and the inevitability of transitions, which can trigger feelings of helplessness or despair.
3. Types of Grief
- Normal Grief: This is the typical grief process, where the person experiences intense emotions but can eventually begin to move forward.
- Complicated Grief: Sometimes, grief doesn’t seem to lessen over time. In cases of complicated grief (also known as prolonged grief disorder), the intensity of grief can be overwhelming, and individuals may feel stuck, unable to accept the loss, or find it difficult to re-engage in life.
- Anticipatory Grief: This occurs before an expected loss, such as when someone is terminally ill or when a loved one is facing a major life transition. Individuals may start grieving before the loss actually happens.
- Disenfranchised Grief: This type of grief happens when someone’s loss is not openly acknowledged, socially supported, or publicly mourned. For example, people grieving the death of a pet or a miscarriage may feel their grief is not taken seriously by others.
4. Healing and Moving Forward
While grief is a painful and inevitable part of life, over time, most people begin to heal, though they may never completely “get over” the loss. Healing doesn’t mean that the grief disappears, but that a person learns to live in a way that integrates the loss into their life, finds new meaning, and continues to grow. The person may still remember their loved one or the experience of the loss but can move forward with a renewed sense of strength, understanding, or even peace.
In many ways, grief is a reflection of how much someone cared or how deeply they were attached to what they lost. Though the pain can be excruciating, it also attests to the importance of love, connection, and the things we hold dear.
At Everlasting Wellness LLC, we have a number of therapists that specialize in grief and loss and they are waiting to help support you! With specializations that range from normal to complicated grief, reproductive trauma and perinatal/women’s health and wellness, the therapists at Everlasting Wellness understand the nuanced areas of grief that can impact women, parents, loss parents, and people who are wanting to be parents but find themselves struggling to. If you identify with any of these, or with any experience of loss, please reach out to us to get scheduled. We look forward to hearing from you.