Unfortunately, most of us are familiar with the term grief and the feelings that come with it. While grief is an overwhelming emotion that can affect people in all kinds of different ways, one thing that remains in common is that it is a natural emotional reaction to the loss of someone or something important. That could be not only the death of a loved one, but also the loss of a relationship, job, bodily function, etc. This adjustment to the physical or emotional absence of someone or something can be extremely difficult to navigate and move past, but grief counseling may be helpful in this aspect for someone who is struggling.
What is Grief Therapy?
Grief therapy is a form of therapy that helps someone deal with psychological stress after a loss. Depending on the individual circumstance, grief counseling can help people process their new reality, address their reactions to the loss, provide emotional support, or help someone work through the wide variety of emotions people feel after a loss. Ideally, this treatment helps someone grieving get to a new place of stability after a life-altering change.
The mental health professional providing the counseling will facilitate the person’s adaptation to the loss by confronting what happened and restructuring their thoughts associated with it. This may look like helping the person accept the reality of the loss, process the grief, adjust to their new reality, and help them maintain a bond with what or who they are grieving while also becoming comfortable with their current situation. This process may be beneficial for someone experiencing grief directly after a loss, along a “typical” timeline and it can be helpful for those experiencing prolonged, abnormal, or complicated grief reactions.
Common Grief Therapy Treatments
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: A treatment modality focusing on embracing the loss rather than fighting it.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: This method helps the grieving person identify negative thought patterns and reframe them with positive thoughts and behaviors.
Traumatic Grief Therapy: This intervention emphasizes establishing a routine to help soothe the nervous system and regulate emotions.
Interpersonal Therapy: This technique focuses on the person’s current relationships and helps to identify their thoughts and emotions and improve interpersonal functioning.
Stages of Grief (Kübler-Ross Grief Cycle)
Denial
Avoidance, confusion, shock, fear
Anger
Frustration, irritation, anxiety
Bargaining
Attempting to find meaning, reaching out for help
Depression
Overwhelmed, helplessness, intense sadness
Acceptance
Exploring options, planning ahead, moving on
When to Seek Grief Therapy?
There is no set criteria for someone looking to attend grief therapy. If you have experienced a loss, going through the stages of grief, and find that it is too overwhelming, is disrupting your functioning, or you just want someone to talk to, seeking help from a licensed mental health therapist is a great place to start.