Losing a loved one is perhaps one of the toughest things anyone will have to face. If you have recently lost a loved one, you may be struggling to come to terms with their death and looking for additional support such as counselling. This article explains how grief counselling can help you.
Time to Grieve
Following the death of a loved one, it can seem as if life has come to a complete standstill. However, it doesn't take long for all of your responsibilities to come rushing back. You may have commitments to work, children, other family members, or your social life that make it hard to find time and space alone. Grief counselling allows you to take time out of your busy life to grieve without disrupting your regular commitments so you don't feel guilty about doing so. A trained therapist will be able to support you through this difficult time and help you come to terms with your grief in a positive way.
Space to Truly Express Yourself
It is hard to speak openly about how you really feel about someone who has just been lost. Your feelings may be negative: for example, you may feel angry or guilty about the circumstances of their death or about how the person behaved when they were alive. Some people find it hard to give voice to these feelings because they fear that doing so will mean disrespecting the memory of the deceased. A grief counsellor will accept whatever emotions you express and will help you to accept yourself as a person who is entitled to your own thoughts and feelings. Talking about how you really feel about the person who has died with another person who is not personally involved with the deceased can be very helpful in coming to terms with the death.
You can be referred to grief counselling by your doctor or you can seek out private practice counsellors. A counsellor who specialises in bereavement will do a follow-up assessment and may ask you to keep a diary. This is useful for them because they can see how things are going for you day by day. If you would like to find out more, you should make contact with a local grief counselling service. A member of staff will be happy to chat with you and book you in for an introductory session so you can find out if grief counselling is right for you.
