Grief counseling

What is grief?

When we lose something, we often feel a sense of hurt. The emotional response of hurt lets us know that what we lost was meaningful or important. Although the hurt can fade with time, sometimes the loss leaves us feeling empty or broken. These feelings of grief can keep us from living the life we want or need.

People who experience grief can have a wide range of emotional and physical symptoms such as:

• Hopelessness or helplessness
• Loss of interest
• Body aches (chest, throat, etc.)
• Bouts of sadness or tearfulness
• Difficulty concentrating
• Guilt or worthlessness
• Repeated (or ruminative) thoughts about the loss

As you can see, grief is a complex process that can affect emotional, physical, and social wellbeing (Berzoff, 2003). Grief is also normal and a part of the human experience. We often regain a sense of normalcy and stability after some time, and some grief takes longer than others to process.

With the right support, through psychotherapy and counseling for grief, you can learn to let go of your grief and begin to feel well again. However, many who have experienced grief will isolate themselves or attempt to ease the pain with drugs, alcohol, or other forms of numbing. This pattern tends to lead people from normal grief into grief-related disorders, such as major depression.

processing grief

The process of grief (see Axelrod, 2018) may look different from person to person, but the distress tends to be the same. Psychologists and counselors are trained to help people work through their grief and learn to feel well again through supportive grief counseling and grief therapy.

At Depth Counseling, we help people just like you work through the pain and suffering that comes with loss. Our team of compassionate clinicians specialize in helping you through whatever your grief is rooted in, such as:

• Death of a loved one
• Loss of a pet
• Family rupture (i.e. divorce)
• Loss of employment
• Disability or career-ending injury
• Terminal illness
• Miscarriage

Do not let grief get in the way of wholesome and creative living. If you have experienced loss and continue to suffer from grief, do not wait. Contact Depth Counseling today and let us help you find healing through grief and loss therapy.

How can therapy help with grief?

You do not have to do this alone. Psychotherapy (also called counseling or therapy) is the first line of treatment for symptoms of grief and depression (Shear et al, 2005; Allumbaugh & Hoyt, 1999). Clients who engage in practices such as psychoanalytic grief therapy and psychodynamic therapy for complex grief are able to navigate the emotional complexities of loss in a supportive, empathic environment with a highly-trained professional.

Working with a therapist in grief and loss counseling provides hurting clients with a space to cope and find freedom from unhealthy grief. Psychodynamic psychotherapists, such as those at Depth Counseling, are uniquely able to understand the interpersonal and unspoken aspects of grief (Stark, 2000). Much like therapy for trauma, engagement with the unconscious thought and reflecting on your life story will help you understand why your grief persists – as well as how to move past it.

As you work through your grief with one of our therapists, you will notice:

• Decreased responses to traumatic triggers
• Greater understanding of self and others
• Feelings of compassion and forgiveness
• Insight regarding potentially harmful life patterns
• A greater understanding of your unique personality
• Greater capacity for emotional communication
• Improvements in social relationships

Each of our therapists is dedicated to providing a safe space where you can explore your psychological world. We are passionate about serving our community through thorough expert treatment and diagnosis, empathic understanding, and client-centered care.

If you have difficulties with anger, anxiety, depression, or trauma, Depth Counseling can help. Do not just wait for things to get better — contact us today about family grief therapy and grief counseling in Chicago. Set up a teletherapy appointment now.

References

Allumbaugh, D. L., & Hoyt, W. T. (1999). Effectiveness of grief therapy: A meta-analysis. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 46(3), 370.

Axelrod, J. (2018). The 5 Stages of Grief & Loss. Psych Central. https://psychcentral.com/lib/the-5-stages-of-loss-and-grief/

Berzoff, J. (2003). Psychodynamic theories in grief and bereavement. Smith College Studies in Social Work, 73(3), 273-298.

Shear, K., Frank, E., Houck, P. R., & Reynolds, C. F. (2005). Treatment of complicated grief: a randomized controlled trial. Jama, 293(21), 2601-2608.

Stark, M. (2000). Modes of therapeutic action. Rowman & Littlefield.

Shedler, J. (2010). The efficacy of psychodynamic psychotherapy. American psychologist, 65(2), 98.