Grief Therapy
Grief therapy helps you process the emotions you feel after a significant loss. A therapist can identify unhealthy responses to grief and help you develop healthy coping strategies. As you work through the grieving process, therapy can help you adjust to what life will be like after your loss while encouraging you to maintain your identity and connections with others.
What is Grief?
Grief is painful and uncomfortable but a normal, healthy response to loss. Many believe death is the only reason people grieve, but you can experience grief with any loss, including a friendship or a marriage, your home, health, a career, a pet, or the realization you will never accomplish a goal or dream you have. There are several stages of grief, and it’s important to know that grieving looks and feels different for everyone.
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The 5 Stages of Grief
We encourage you to remember that the stages don’t necessarily occur in order, and some people may not experience all five. A person may move back and forth between stages before progressing to the next.
- Denial: The first stage of grief involves not wanting to believe the loss has occurred. Denial is your mind’s way of protecting you from a flood of emotions you’re not ready to process.
- Anger: You can become angry when things are beyond your control. You may direct this anger at yourself, others, or nobody. If you practice a religion, it’s common to feel anger with your god for allowing the loss to happen.
- Bargaining: This stage is full of “What ifs” and is an attempt to spare yourself from a loss. An example of bargaining is, “If my spouse survives this car accident, I’ll never fight with them again.”
- Depression: Depression always has similar traits, regardless of the reason for the emotion. Sadness, withdrawal from others, and loss of interest in things you enjoy are all symptoms of depression, but depression during grief is not a sign of mental illness.
- Acceptance: At some point, you realize the loss is permanent and accept that your life is different. Acceptance does not mean that you’re okay with what has happened or that you’re no longer sad; it means you’re ready to begin moving forward with your life.
When to Consider Grief Therapy
Since grieving is a natural process, people can work through it on their own, but be on the lookout for signs that you may need therapy to help you heal:
- You’re experiencing significant distress and life disruption for more than six months after the loss.
- You have a persistent yearning for what you have lost that increases as time passes.
- You feel empty and believe life has no meaning without the person or thing you lost.
- You’re having difficulty processing distressing thoughts and emotions from your grief.
Does Therapy Help with Grief?
Grief is more than feeling sad. It’s a complex process that can be challenging to navigate on your own, and grief therapy can help you find your way through it. If you are struggling with grief from a recent loss, you will benefit from the support of therapy.
Benefits of Grief Therapy
- People often question if their grief is valid or sufficient. Therapy will help you understand that it’s okay to grieve anything meaningful to you and that there is no right or wrong way to do so.
- Processing grief with a therapist has been shown to reduce long-term anxiety and depression that require additional care.
- You can learn to honor the memory of a loved one without feeling trauma.
- You are more likely to continue caring for yourself if you’re not consumed with grief.
The Mind Matters Difference
Our team of therapists knows that your mind matters, and we can help you harness its power so you can live a happier, more balanced life. You’re more than just a client file to us; we don’t have a cookie-cutter approach to grief therapy. Mental health is vital for everyone, and our goal is to make treatment accessible and welcoming to anyone who needs it.
Grief Therapy Near Lexington, Kentucky and Columbus, Ohio
You don’t have to struggle through grief alone. Contact Mind Matters today to speak with one of our experienced grief therapists. We offer compassionate, tailored, therapeutic solutions to make therapy beneficial for everyone. Mind Matters serves Lexington, Kentucky, Columbus, Ohio, and the surrounding area.