Grief & Loss Therapy
What is Grief and Loss Therapy?
Grief is the process in which we go through when we lose someone; it is our last act of love. Grief and loss can come in different forms. Maybe you are grieving the death of a loved one? Maybe you are grieving a loved one who is alive, but is no longer the person you once knew. This can be from: the disease of addiction, adoption, domestic violence relationship, etc. Maybe you are grieving a relationship, marriage, or friendship that no longer exists. Maybe you are grieving the loss of your identity (loss of job, loss of child, loss of future dreams). Grieving is often done in private and rarely talked about. The people around you become uncomfortable and no one wants to say the wrong thing. But you know, nothing they say could be as terrible as your loss. Here are some signs that therapy can be helpful to maneuver through your grief process.
Feeling of life not being real
Dissociating from self to get through the day
Nightmares
Dreams of the deceased, feeling like you hear, see, smell them
Change in appetite (not eating or eating to much)
Feeling stuck and not wanting to move forward
Anger
Sadness
Muscle tension
Unexplained head and stomach aches
Inability to go places that remind you of your loss
Feeling alone and isolated
Crying
Confusion
Inability to focus on tasks
No longer finding joy in things
Unable to come to terms with your new identity
Blaming self or others
Blaming your higher power, losing faith in your higher power
No longer seeing meaning in your own life
Those are just a few things that happen when you are grieving a loss. Grief can be misunderstood as a process where you move through stages, but grief is not linear. Grief is a roller coaster of emotions. Grief will take you to your highest highs and your lowest lows. Grief will change your perception of life and where you fit into this world. Grief will challenge your core values, and have you questioning “why?”. You do not need to figure out how to heal alone. You do not need to be stoic or strong. You do not need to hold it all together for everyone around you. You do not need to be angry at yourself for falling apart. You do not need to feel guilty for how you choose to handle your grief. We can work together to make sure this vulnerable time is used to help you get through your journey. You don’t have to do this alone.