Grief and loss counseling helps people grieve difficult losses including the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, or the end of a relationship. It helps people navigate their grief process and eventually accept, understand, and move forward from their loss. Thriveworks grief therapists in Edison, NJ have specific experience, training, and skills that enable them to best support grieving individuals.
Grief and loss counseling isn’t one-size-fits-all, but it involves sharing about your loss and then working with your counselor to acknowledge and accept your new reality in its wake. Your provider at Thriveworks in Edison, NJ will design your treatment plan around your unique needs and goals for therapy, applying the counseling techniques that best support them.
If you have recently experienced an event like the death of a loved one, a breakup or divorce, the loss of a job, or another major life change, then you may want to seek grief and loss counseling. Grief can be caused by many experiences and events, so if you feel that you are having trouble moving on from a certain event or find that it is still impacting your life and functioning, grief and loss counseling can help you process it more effectively so that you can move on and once again find fulfillment and satisfaction in your life.
There are many counseling theories for treating grief, one of the most frequently used being the dual process model of grief which helps people acknowledge who or what they’ve lost through rumination while also adjusting to the new roles and identities that this loss has now placed on them. There are also many commonly used therapy approaches used in grief and loss counseling, including Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and traumatic grief therapy.
For many, grief and loss counseling lasts for about 6 months. For others, it may last shorter or longer, depending on the severity of their loss and their grief.
Grief Counseling at Thriveworks Edison, NJ—Counselors and Therapists
Unfortunately, at some point in our lives, we will lose someone close to us. Whether it is a family member, friend, or beloved pet, this type of loss can be overwhelming and hard to navigate. You can’t really prepare for it. It is painful. It is confusing. It can feel like you are reaching out into the dark, hoping to grab a hold of some form of relief. Despite these feelings, it is important to work through your emotions and head back towards a state of happiness.
Grief can feel very isolating. However, Thriveworks Edison Therapy grief counseling wants you to know that you do not have to do it alone. We have licensed therapists who understand the way grieving works, as well as how difficult it can be to overcome it. If you need help healing from mourning any type of loss, we are here to support you. Reach out today for support.
Grieving: What Is Normal and What Can Be Expected?
Grieving, mourning, bereavement, heartbreak. There are several different stages of the feelings we have and the challenges we experience following a loss. These stages tend to follow a predictable pattern, and each plays an important role in helping you come to a place of peace and acceptance. The five different stages and what you can expect from them are:
- Shock and Denial: This stage is characterized by fear, confusion, and avoidance. Typically, the person being affected by this type of news doesn’t want to accept the reality of their loss and does what they can to avoid it.
- Anger: Anger is the next common emotion to feel and is characterized by irritation and frustration. During this stage, someone might feel so angry over their loss that they start to lash out at others such as family members and friends.
- Bargaining: At this point in the grieving process, you might start to seek a way to avoid the loss from happening. You may feel like there is something you can do to reverse what has happened.
- Depression: This is when reality really begins to settle in. Feelings of overwhelming sadness, hopelessness, and helplessness emerge. This can be an especially difficult stage to conquer but with the support of friends, family, and a counselor, you can move into the final stage of grieving.
- Acceptance: Finally, in the last stage of grieving, you will start to feel acceptance. This is when your situation is acknowledged, and you are now ready to focus on moving forward.
Do I Need Grief Therapy?
It takes courage and reflection to be able to ask yourself this question. There’s no simple yes or no answer. It’s important to reflect on your emotions and ask yourself if you are happy with where you are. Whether your emotions are overwhelmingly hard to handle or there just enough to remind you of the past, any person dealing with a loss could benefit from grief therapy. There are several different emotions you could potentially be feeling that may be best to talk to a therapist about including:
- Depression that seems like it won’t go away
- Suicidal thoughts
- Little to no support system
- Lack of joy in activities that you previously enjoyed
- Sudden mood swings or changes in your behavior
- Inability to move or get out of bed
- Pushing your friends or family away
- Lack or numbness of emotion
- Fear of welcoming new people into your life
Schedule an Appointment with a Grief Therapist at Thriveworks Edison, NJ
You don’t have to be just grieving the loss of someone in order to have these feelings. Even the loss of a job, a broken friendship, or breakup can evoke these feelings of grief. Whatever your situation may be, we want to provide you with the care you need.
If you are ready to take the next step towards finding peace, schedule an appointment with us through our online booking portal or by calling the office to be connected with one of our scheduling specialists. For your convenience, we also offer online counseling sessions that can be held from the comfort of your own home. When you are ready, we will be here.
