Grief Counseling

Are You Overcome With Grief Following A Significant Loss?

Have you or a loved one recently lost a family member, friend or pet – either suddenly or after a long struggle with a chronic illness? Are you struggling to come to terms with an accident or condition that has left you physically or mentally disabled? Have you lost a job or accepted a position that requires you to move away from family and friends? Perhaps you lost one or both parents and are suddenly more aware of your own mortality. Or you might be grappling with a complex mix of emotions like anger or guilt as you try to process a suicide or the loss of a partner immediately after a fight. You may have suffered a series of losses in a brief period of time and now feel overwhelmed and unsure about how to make sense of what feels like a senseless situation.

Alternately, you may have been the victim of a flood, fire or burglary that took valuable or prized possessions that you can’t replace. Perhaps you lost your phone or laptop where you had all of your baby pictures and important memories saved. Grief and loss can leave you feeling like you have lost a part of yourself or your identity. You may find you are losing the ability to cope with life’s daily tasks, and some days, getting up, showering and feeding yourself can be overwhelming. Every day you hear songs or see people and things that remind you of the loss you are struggling with. Do you wish you could ease your grief and find peace and acceptance as you cope with your loss?

Everyone Suffers From Grief And Loss In Their Lives

We all deal with grief and loss at some point in our lives, often surrounding the loss of a loved one or a significant life transition. But grief can also accompany the aging process as you or a close friend loses your faculties or functionality. Many terminal or chronic illnesses can leave you struggling with grief over deteriorating health and a loss of a sense of wholeness. Even if you are in recovery, you may be acutely aware that your next check-up could start the whole process all over again. Additionally, many parents who go through a difficult pregnancy or give birth to a stillborn child or a child with a disability experience a period of grieving for the family life they thought they would have.

The good news is grief counseling with me at Soul Wisdom Therapy in Davis can help you better understand your situation, work through difficult feelings and develop strategies to help you move past the pain you are feeling.

Grief Counseling Can Provide You With Support And Relief

Whether you are struggling with the loss of a loved one, your health or a dream that is no longer possible, you need a safe place to work through your grief. I offer a warm, compassionate healing space where you can feel supported and let yourself directly experience your grief. I will focus on giving you the resources, support and objective feedback you need to move through your grieving process more easily.

Grieving is an ongoing process and I will work with you on your timetable of recovery, whether that is six months or many years. Grief counseling is designed to help you face your grief more directly, both in and out of the office. When you understand how you grieve, you can learn how to move through feelings of loss in your own healthy way and at your own best pace. I will help you feel more at peace with yourself. With guidance and support, you can begin to recognize and respond to grief as it impacts your whole person: mind, body and soul.

I will pull from a variety of approaches, tailoring your grief counseling sessions to meet you where you are in the healing process. I may utilize EMDR and other somatic therapies such as Somatic Experiencing, designed to speed up healing and focus your emotions. You can learn how to break free from your grief and recognize and embrace the parts of your life that bring you joy and peace. Or, if you are struggling with or interested in exploring the spiritual side of your loss, I may introduce integrative or mindfulness techniques. The connection with a loved one’s spirit, soul or essence can be a great source of comfort, and I can help you explore and build that connection.

We often fall into patterns in our grieving, and I will offer you resources and ways to cope with difficult emotions and harmful behaviors. Grief counseling looks different for every client. You may have taken on more and more work as a way to avoid dealing with your emotions, and your grief has lasted longer because you haven’t allowed yourself to deeply feel it yet. Or you may have resorted to drugs or alcohol to numb yourself to the pain and challenges you’re facing. I understand that you want to cope in a more productive way, and I will help you break free from the negative patterns that are keeping you from moving on.

Part of being able to respond to grief and loss in a healthy manner is taking adequate and consistent care of yourself. I will help you learn to be more gentle and compassionate with yourself and learn to take time to relax and nurture your emotional, physical and spiritual sides.

I myself have experienced major losses and had to learn to manage my grief. I have helped countless clients recover from grief and loss, and I know what approaches, techniques and strategies can help you move through it more quickly and directly. Additionally, I offer short-term grief counseling of one or a few sessions for individuals who have recovered from their grief but still need support getting through a difficult anniversary or event.

With help, you can learn to move through your grief in your own way and on your own timetable. While you will likely never completely heal from your loss, you can learn to embrace life, appreciate each moment and feel happy again.

But, you may still have questions about grief counseling…

I can’t face the loss again.

This is a common concern, which I understand. That said, in order to fully process your grief, you have to work through difficult feelings. I understand that your recovery isn’t about ignoring your grief any more than it is about indulging it to the point that it occupies all of your time. With my compassionate support and help, you can get to the point where your grief is no longer interfering with your life or what you want for yourself.

I’m afraid if I do counseling I won’t be able to do what I need to in my life to move on

Without help and support, you may find yourself stuck in a pattern of harmful behaviors or emotions that keep you from doing what you need to in your life. Grief counseling is designed to help you move through your pain and emotions more quickly and directly. I promise to meet you where you are in your healing process and help you build strategies that work with your goals and timetable for healing.

I am dealing with too many emotions for grief counseling to help.

Following a loss, you may struggle with a variety of mixed emotions. In addition to sadness and depression, you may feel guilt, anger, remorse or shame, and the weight of these emotions can quickly become overwhelming. I can help you identify and sort through difficult emotions so you can move forward.