Grief and Loss Counseling
It’s easy to mistake grief as something that only happens following the loss of a loved one, but there are many types of losses that can be followed by the grieving process. These can include losing abilities, relationships, your sense of self, future possibilities, and many more. It can even include anticipating a loss that you know is coming. One major challenge people face when dealing with loss is that they often try to face it alone. A person can feel this way if they think no one will understand what they are going through or if they are worried that talking about what they are experiencing will inconvenience their loved ones. Grief can also be also compounded by feelings of guilt or existential questions which can make your emotions even harder to navigate. Counseling provides a safe environment where we can navigate the complicated process of grieving together.
Our Approach
There’s a common misconception that time heals all wounds. Unfortunately, grief doesn’t always abide by a specific timeline. It can take months or years and can depend on the level of engagement and processing. When working with clients experiencing grief, we help you manage this uncertainty and see that you can actively participate in the grieving process. To accomplish this, we take inspiration from William Wordon’s Four Tasks of Mourning: accepting the reality of the loss, experiencing the pain of grief, adjusting to an environment without the missing piece, and finding an enduring connection to the missing piece while embarking on a new life. Since grief is not linear, we collaborate with you to customize these processing steps to meet your unique experience of loss. When you are ready to start this journey, we will be with you at every step, moving at a pace that’s comfortable for you.
Specializations
Individuals seek counseling for the following reasons:
- Loss of loved one
- Loss of abilities
- Loss of relationships
- Loss of future possibilities
- Loss of sense of self