Why do we need bereavement or grief counselling?
A healthy grieving process is perfectly normal and should not be anything to be ashamed of. As individuals, we experience grief and loss differently. There is no right or wrong way, just your own way as it is your journey and no one else’s. Some may find it more difficult than others to cope with the overwhelming emotions that come with bereavement. Living with the pain of unresolved loss and grief is extremely hard on the human psyche, with feelings of guilt devastating in its intensity, often being accompanied with feelings of depression.
Counselling for grief and bereavement can be beneficial to help make the process much easier and shorter. The aim is not to forget the loss, but to facilitate the acceptance of it as individuals who are able to form an acceptance of the loss of someone or something they loved will in general find it much easier to move on and live a happier life themselves.
Grief is not like the measles, we do not go back to being the person we were before our loss
Through bereavement counselling we can look to assist with undertaking the following:
1. Accepting the reality of the loss
2. Experiencing the pain of grief
3. Adjusting to an environment in which the deceased is missing
4. Withdrawing emotional energy and investing it in other relationships
These four undertakings need not follow any specific order, some may be overlapping or cyclical or concurrent with the grieving person working on them with a goal of regaining a balance to their life.
Grief is not like the measles, we do not go back to being the person we were before our loss. We learn to live with it, and, little by little, the pain will diminish. Grief is not a duty to the dead, those we love would not want us to suffer. Talking it through with a friend or someone not emotionally involved in the loss will usually help. If that is not enough or you feel continually depressed or suicidal, you should not hesitate to seek specialist help.
Several treatments including Cognitive Therapies, Psycho-therapies and anti-depressant medications will be of help and it is worth discussing with your GP which of these alternatives are available and appropriate to you. Don’t give up.