What type of counseling is needed when a person cannot get over the grief of losing a loved one?
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 Houston, TX have specific experience, training, and skills that enable them to best support grieving individuals.
How does grief and loss counseling work?
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 Houston, TX will design your treatment plan around your unique needs and goals for therapy, applying the counseling techniques that best support them.
Signs I should seek grief counseling
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.
What counseling theory is best for grief?
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.
Is grief counseling conducted in person or online?
Grief & loss counseling at Thriveworks is conducted both in person and online by video. We encourage you to choose the option that works best for you.
How long does grief counseling last?
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.
Need more help deciding?
Grief and Bereavement Counseling in Houston, TX
Normal grieving is the experiencing of an intense emotional process as the person adapts to a new life without their loved one. The feelings that arise can be painful, confusing, and distressing. Over time, the intensity softens and people are able to move forward in their lives.
Sometimes, though, grieving can become detrimental to one’s well-being. If this sounds familiar and you think you could benefit from some professional help, reach out to Thriveworks Houston to schedule an appointment.
When Grief Becomes a Problem
For some people, grieving is more difficult. The intensity doesn’t soften over time. Their grief affects their ability to function in their daily lives. Sometimes referred to as “prolonged” grief or “complicated” grief, this type of grief becomes debilitating and creates significant distress for the person. They simply cannot move past their intense feelings of loss long after the loss has occurred.
Symptoms of Prolonged Grief
Some of the indicators of prolonged grief include:
- Intrusive thoughts related to the loss
- Intense feelings or emotional pain, sorrow, or pangs or grief related to the loss
- Confusion about one’s identity (e.g., role in life, feeling that a part of oneself has died)
- Difficulty accepting the loss
- Avoidance of reminders of the reality of the loss
- Inability to trust others since the loss
- Bitterness or anger related to the loss
- Difficulty moving on with life (e.g., making new friends, pursuing interests)
- Numbness (absence of emotion), feeling stunned, dazed, or shocked by the loss
- Feeling that life is unfulfilling, empty, and meaningless since the loss
- Clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning
- Duration at least six months from the onset of separation distress
Having some or even all of these indicators doesn’t necessarily mean your grief is prolonged. What sets prolonged grief apart is the amount of time that passes from the time of the loss and the breakdown in functioning due to the intensity of the grieving.
Schedule Grief Counseling Help in Houston, TX
Prolonged grief requires the help of a trained grief counselor. Thriveworks in Houston, TX can offer grief counseling, as we have experienced grief counselors who can help you work through your grief and to a place of healing.
If you or a loved one is struggling to cope with your loss, call Thriveworks Counseling in Houston, TX today for your confidential appointment. New clients can see an exceptional therapist as early as this week. Plus, we offer evening and weekend sessions, and accept most major insurances.
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