Grief and Loss
Grief is both a feeling and a process of coping with a significant loss. Most of us associate grief as a response to the death of a loved one. However, grief can accompany any event that disrupts or challenges our sense of normalcy or self, including the loss of connections that define us.
Any meaningful loss requires us to cope and imagine a new, changed future. It can be challenging to accept a new reality and move forward, particularly as grief has on significant impacts on mental and physical health. In a grief therapy session, you can speak openly about the person or relationship you’ve lost or the life circumstance that’s changed.
As loss is a part of life, grieving is a natural response that everyone processes in a unique way. While there is no right way to grieve, there are common symptoms that most people experience:
Emotional fluctuations such as anger, guilt, anxiousness, sadness, resentment, relief
Physical responses include fatigue, trouble sleeping, headaches, reduced or increased appetite, and joint pain
Impaired cognitive functioning may present as poor concentration, lack of focus, or memory loss
Behavioural changes like withdrawing or isolating from family and friends
Shifting spirituality, adjusting values, or questioning beliefs
Individuals may grieve the loss of:
A loved one like a friend, family member, or pet
A home, neighbourhood or community
A job or career or financial stability
Family life after separation or divorce
Intimate relationships, such as a breakup with a partner, ending of a friendship, or estrangement from family
Health or ability to function in everyday life
Grief counselling provides a safe and caring environment for clients to express themselves without fear of judgement or criticism. It’s a chance to understand grief and the grieving process, learn coping mechanisms and develop a new sense of self after experiencing a loss.
Working with a therapist will help provide individuals with tools and strategies to manage grief in healthy and sustainable ways. Grief counselling can include discussing the loss, reframing negative thought patterns, mindfulness exercises, developing alternative life narratives, and using rituals to remember and mourn. The goal is to honour loss while guiding you back to self-care.
