“Grief is not a disorder, a disease, or a sign of weakness. It is an emotional, spiritual and physical necessity, the price you pay for love. The only cure for grief is to grieve.” --- Earl Grollman
Grief Counseling in Washington state.
Grieving is a normal part of the human experience, but that doesn’t mean it feels good
It would be nice if we could process our losses through a few stages and then be ready to “move on,” but grief doesn’t follow a particular timeline. Every loss we experience is unique and can bring up thoughts, emotions, and other things we never expected.
Am I grieving?
Sometimes grief shows up in unexpected ways. Our culture doesn’t give us much guidance when it comes to what grief looks and feels like.
Grief might show up as…
My loss was years ago, why does it still hurt?
The world doesn’t feel safe anymore.
I’m anxious all the time.
I can’t concentrate. I feel like my brain is in a fog and I am so tired all the time.
I’m so angry and irritable! That’s not grief, right?
I can’t sleep.
Memory loss.
I don’t think anything will ever be the same again.
I can’t stop thinking about my loss.
Everyone keeps telling me to move on, but I just can’t seem to do that.
Nothing feels real anymore.
Crying out of nowhere and for seemingly no reason.
Numbness or inability to cry.
I just can’t relate to the “normal” world anymore.
Mood swings.
Guilt, regret, or even relief
Physical symptoms such as aches and pains, stomach pains, chest pain, and other sensations.
I can’t stop thinking about the person I lost or how I lost them.
Changes in appetite.
Everything has meaning, or nothing has meaning.
Intense feelings of love for everything around you.
I can’t complete simple, daily tasks.
I’m afraid I’ve lost my mind.
No one understands; I’m different from everyone else.
And more. Each loss is unique and how you grief that loss will be unique too.
How grief counseling can help…
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Talking about your loss can be powerful. It might not take the pain away, but it can help you cope and honor the memory of who or what you have lost.
We are not seeking to “cure” your grief, but to help you navigate the new reality of life without the person or thing you lost.
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You can expect a safe space to talk about your loss and the unique ways in which you are feeling and living that loss. We are not pushing for you to “get over it.” Rather, we are honoring who or what you have lost and helping you adjust to a new reality.
Additionally, there are some tools or skills we can develop to help you manage the day-to-day things like talking (or not talking) to others about your loss, handling nosy questions or unhelpful advice/support, setting boundaries, returning to work, managing feelings of anxiety, sadness, fatigue, etc.
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Grief work can help you feel less alone in your experience, validate what you are feeling, and help you cope with the day-to-day things that go on in spite of your loss.
Additionally, learning how to communicate with others can help you navigate grieving and give you ways to respond to well-intentioned remarks, platitudes, or advice. We can also work on how to to set boundaries around what you are willing to talk about and with whom you are willing to talk about your experience.
We can experience grief over different types of loss including:
Loss of a pet
Divorce/breakup
Loss of a job
Loss of a home
Loss of a friend
Loss of health
Loss of faith
Loss of financial stability
Miscarriage or infertility
Grieving isn’t confined to death…
Retirement
Loss of a dream
Loss of safety after trauma or other event
Loss of trust after an affair or other betrayal
Loss of a sense of who you are
Changes in identity (in yourself or a loved one)
If you have lost someone or something, your are allowed to grieve.
Grieving isn’t limited to the death of a loved one. You are allowed to grieve your loss, whatever or whomever that may be.
Get in touch
You don’t have to carry this alone
Click this link to set up a day and time for a free, confidential consultation. You will be sent a Zoom link the day before our scheduled consultation. In addition to telling me a bit more about yourself, please feel free to come with any questions you have for me. I look forward to speaking with you.
"Grief isn't a problem to be solved; it's an experience to be carried." - Megan Devine
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"Grief isn't a problem to be solved; it's an experience to be carried." - Megan Devine —