Grief and Loss

Feeling grief is intense…

… and can sometimes be raw and like nothing else.

This emotional rawness is very personal and individual, with perhaps only you knowing the extent of your reactions to your loss.

There are different kinds of loss – the loss of a close friend, death of a partner, death of a family member, relationship breakup, serious illness for yourself or a loved one.

Less obvious losses can also cause intense feelings of grief like the loss of childhood, loss of a dream, change of job, loss of financial security, loss of physical ability. These losses may induce strong raw emotions.

I use the word raw because of the intensity of emotions that one can experience while grieving.

With trauma, there is usually grief and loss.

Sometimes, we delay the grieving process, push the emotions away, and shock or numbing begins.

Grieving is a process, and the process is not linear, although stages are used to describe the process. One does not experience the stages in a sequence as popularly defined. Reactions common for many people are sadness or depression, frustration or misunderstanding, wanting to escape, guilt or remorse, ambivalence, difficulty concentrating, or feeling like you are “going crazy.” You may feel all these or just a couple.

Some coping behaviors can destroy the grieving process, such as substance use and isolation.

The important thing is to feel. Feel your sadness, be with family or friends who will support you nonjudgmentally in this process. Talk about your feelings in a safe environment.

Counseling can offer you a supportive environment to talk…

… and move through your grief toward healing.

If you are feeling grief from addiction or trauma, therapy can help you with the process of healing. Sometimes it may be hard to figure out perhaps the loss was some time ago, and a recent trigger may have activated the unfinished grieving, especially if the grief was not processed and merely pushed away.

But, it comes back with a trigger because the process was interrupted. What if you were to do a timeline of your losses beginning from childhood? Some of these losses may continue to produce powerful emotions, which is a sign that there may still be some emotions to process.

Therapy can help you figure this out. Healthy coping skills are essential in moving you forward in the healing process.

I’ll help you figure it out.

The grieving experience is unique for everyone. It’s important to be patient with yourself as you experience your unique reactions to the loss.

You don’t have to process your grief alone. Reach out and call me today: (480) 431-4994.