At some point in life, we all go through the painful emotions and the sorrow of losing someone or something dear. A grief counselor helps you to better understand the grieving process and heal from emotional pain that comes with the loss.
Grieving does not only happen when we lose someone but, also when we lose something very important such as relationships (divorce or separation), source of income, or a living space, or our freedom to live a normal life (medical conditions), or the sense of safety, etc.
Grief, if not dealt with properly, can affect the body and the mind the same way depression and other mental illnesses do. The symptoms can be experienced physically and mentally and they may vary from mild (sleeping disturbances) to severe (heart attack or suicidal ideation). There are different stages of grief, and everyone moves through them at a different pace. A person may go through the stages of grief more than once.
At this stage we have difficulty accepting the reality as the pain of loss is too much to handle. Some live in this disbelief state for a long time. We sometimes wonder why the person who experiences the loss “does pour no tears”. That is because the mind is in a state of shock.
At this stage we feel angry at the entire world, we desperately think how unfair life is to us or the person we lost, and blame ourselves for not doing enough or not noticing the red flags. Anger is the attempt of our mind to remain strong on not give in.
This is the stage when we refuse the harsh truth, we experience guilt and think “if only I could have done something different the outcome might have been better”. We hope for a miracle to happen and our mind plays scenarios of the miracle happening. That helps deal with some of our emotional pain.
The stage where the intense emotion of loss replaces the interest of enjoying life. We give up fighting therefore the emotions of lost, abandonment, hopelessness, and worthlessness as if the world has come to an end and nothing matters take over. Everything appears colorless. The emptiness we feel inside cannot be filled by any other form of love, comfort or safety.
The stage of hope and moving on. We will not forget the pain caused by the loss, but we will be able to come back to our reality and take responsibility for our own life. In this stage we make the necessary changes and adaptation to a new chapter, take actions to honor the memory of a loved one, and look at the past with contentment.
Remember that loss is a part of life. Everyone experiences loss of some sort. It is okay to feel vulnerable and recognize our emotions. The way we deal with the loss and how we manage the triggers (special events, anniversaries, sounds, smells) that can awaken painful emotions can make a difference.
Counselling therapy can help you deal with grief. Our professional team is dedicated to help you deal with your loss in a healthy way and regain the joy of life. Stop feeling lonely and abandoned. Seek help before depression and other complications take over your body and your mind.