Grief and Loss Counselling in Warrnambool
What is Grief?
Grief is a natural and universal response to loss. It is the body and mind going through a natural healing response. Although necessary, it can be extremely painful. We can experience grief and loss when we lose someone we love (human or non-human), a relationship, a job, a sense of identity or even something as abstract as hope. We all experience grief and loss, and learning how to work through it is a crucial step toward healing.
Types of Grief
Grief is a deeply individual experience, and it doesn’t look the same for everyone. It can arise from a variety of losses. Here are some different forms of grief that you might be struggling with:
Acute Grief
This is a normal and natural response to loss. It is characterized by intense longing, sadness and difficult adjusting. Over time, most people gradually adjust and find ways of moving forward with their loss.
Anticipatory Grief
Occurs when the loss is expected and anticipated. Most commonly occurs when a loved one is sick or suffers from a neurodegenerative disorder. In this case, you may begin to struggle with grief and feelings of loss before the actual loss arrives
Complicated Grief
This occurs in different ways. You may experience an absence of mourning, an ongoing inability to express normal grief feelings or as a delayed, conflicted, prolonged and unremitting sadness.Complicated grief is often tied up with feelings of shame, embarrassment or even social stigma.
Traumatic Grief
Can occur when the loss is sudden, unexpected and/or violent, making it harder to process. Along with grief, you might also be experiencing symptoms of PTSD.
Delayed Grief
At times, immediate responsibilities or emotional suppression might cause you to ignore your grief. It may then surface years later after being triggered by an event in your life.
How Therapy Can Help
At South West Mind + Body our grief counsellors work with grief and bereavement in ways which look to continue the bonds we have had with those who have died or been lost. We understand that the bonds of affection do not go away when a person goes away. We offer support for working through grief across the following domains:
Physical: dealing with the physical energy generated through grief
Emotional: develop tools and resources for managing and working with painful feelings
Cognitive: addressing any problematic rumination related to the loss
Spiritual: working through issues concerning meaning, existence, death, morality and religion
Behavioural: managing and developing behaviours associated with the loss (rituals, hobbies, strategies)
Looking for support with grief in Warrnambool?
Seeing a trained professional can help through the difficult prcoess of grief and mourning. If you are unsure, try a 15-minute free consultation to see if it’s right for you
Impacts on Daily Life
Grief can have a profound impact on daily functioning. In the acute phases you might find yourself struggling to feel motivated to do anything, even basic self-care can seem like an impossible effort. You might find yourself struggling to make sense of life. How can the world move on as if nothing had happened? As the grief process continues, you begin to notice that grief “comes in waves”. You are overcome with emotion, seemingly out of nowhere. Sometimes a song, a smell, a location can be enough to trigger this intense sadness. You might be irritable and angry toward colleagues, friends, your partner, your children, leading to a significant impact on your interpersonal relationships. We understand that grief is a rollercoaster experience, spanning the full spectrum of human experience, and we work to support, guide and hold you through the whole process.