How Does Bereavement Counselling Help?

Nothing can change what has happened, so what is the point of counselling for grief?

You’re right of course.  Grief is a natural reaction to loss, and nothing can ever bring anyone back or make it okay that your loved one is gone.  Bereavement is part of life, a universal experience, and not everyone will need or want to have counselling.

However, grief can sometimes be complicated or a struggle.  There are certain circumstances and experiences in people’s lives that can make grieving much more difficult.  You have probably heard about the stages of grief, and may have a sense that you are supposed to be working through them, and yet you find that you can’t.  There can be pressure from family, friends and colleagues to resume a normal life and act as if everything is okay.

So grief is sometimes complicated.  But what difference does counselling make?

These are my top 5 benefits to having counselling for bereavement:

  1. In counselling you can talk about the person who has died without having to think about how the other person feels. It can be hard to talk about someone who has died if your family and friends seem to find it uncomfortable.  I will be comfortable with whatever you need to say.
  2. You can explore how and why your grieving has become stuck or delayed. There can be many reasons for this.  For example, sudden, traumatic or early death.  Or perhaps a relationship that feels unresolved, leaving you unable to let go.
  3. The process of counselling gradually removes the psychological blocks that prevent you from moving through your grief. It’s very common to experience strong feelings, such as anger, guilt and despair. Counselling can provide relief, by offering an acceptance of your feelings and a place where you can talk fully about every aspect of your experience.
  4. You don’t stop feeling sad about the loss, but you can learn to feel some acceptance, and find a way to continue living. Bereavement counselling isn’t about making you cheer up and forget about the person who has died.  It is about support and acceptance, with the hope that things will get easier if you are enabled to grieve in healthy ways.
  5. You will not be put under pressure to “get over it” or “move on.” Instead you will find sensitivity and understanding of how hard things have been for you.  Your grief is unique to you, and I will support you in moving through the process at your own pace.

 

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How Bereavement Counselling Helps

In this article I explore my top five reasons why I think bereavement counselling can be helpful.

Helpful Links

Cruse Bereavement Care

Dying Matters

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