Grief & Loss
Navigate Loss with Compassionate Support | Grief Counseling
Grief & Loss
Grief is not a problem to be solved; it is an experience to be carried. It can feel like:
- A profound and aching sadness that comes in unpredictable waves, sometimes when you least expect it.
- Emotional numbness, denial, or shock, as if what happened can't possibly be real.
- Anger, guilt, or regret over things said or unsaid.
- Physical exhaustion, changes in sleep or appetite, and a feeling of being utterly drained.
- Isolation, as if no one else can understand the depth of your pain.
- Anxiety about the future and how to navigate life without your loved one or what was lost.
In clinical terms, grief can encompass:
Bereavement
The objective fact of having experienced a loss.
Complicated Grief
When the natural grieving process becomes stuck, intense, and debilitating over a long period.
Disenfranchised Grief
Grief that is not openly acknowledged or socially supported (e.g., pet loss, miscarriage, divorce, job loss).
Anticipatory Grief
The emotional response that occurs before an impending loss, common with terminal diagnoses.
Our approach is informed by certification in Thanatology. Our work will include:
Creating a Safe Space to Feel
Providing a supportive, non-judgmental environment where all of your emotions are welcome.
Narrative Therapy
Helping you process the story of your loss, honor the relationship, and explore what meaning and legacy remain.
Skill Building for the Waves
Developing coping strategies and self-care practices to help you navigate the difficult moments.
Reconstructing Your Worldview
Gently exploring how this loss has changed your understanding of the world and helping you rebuild.
Finding Continued Bonds
Exploring ways to maintain a healthy connection to who or what you lost while still engaging in your own life.
A Little Something to Help You Now: The Grief Wave Metaphor
Imagine grief as an ocean wave. In the beginning, the waves are huge and crash over you without warning. Over time, the waves never truly disappear, but they become less frequent and less intense. You can see them coming. You learn to breathe through them. Be gentle with yourself—you are learning to swim in a new ocean.
