GRIEF and LOSS

About 2.5 million people die in the United States annually, each leaving an average of five grieving people behind. It’s estimated that 1.5 million children (5% of children in the United States) have lost one or both parents by age 15. Additionally, older adults tend to experience grief at a higher rate than younger adults or children due to spousal loss being a more common experience, along with the death of friends, siblings, and other people in their lives.

If you or someone you care about needs professional help or support to process feelings of loss and gain understanding around the experience of grief, reach out to the clinicians at CARE Counseling for support in the steps toward healing.

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different types of grief

It’s important to know that everyone grieves in unique ways and it’s okay if your grief is different than those around you. At times you may even be unaware that you are grieving or that you’ve experienced a loss that deserves to be grieved.

Anticipated | Expected Loss + Anticipatory Grief

Death & Dying | Chronic illness | Loss of an imagined life or future | Changing roles in the family | Loss of Stability and Security

Unanticipated Loss

Traumatic loss (Violent) | Sudden death/illness | Suicide | Accidental death | Catastrophic event

Ambiguous Loss | Disenfranchised Grief

Physical loss/Psychologically present (divorce) | Loss considered less significant | Unrecognized relationships | Loss surrounding stigma | Psychological loss/Physical presence (dementia)

INDIVIDUAL THERAPY

In individual therapy the clinician will create a safe space for you to process your emotions and experience of loss. Individual therapy is appropriate for individuals of all ages, children, adolescents, adults and seniors.

COUPLE’S THERAPY

It is important for couples to be emotionally available to one another. Couple’s therapy helps couples stay connected during this time, by creating coping strategies, building communication  and finding ways to connect/reconnect intimately. It is important to grieve but also to take time together to be present and attend to life changes.

FAMILY THERAPY

Families experiencing loss can benefit from working with a family therapist to help them understand the impact of their loss and how to work toward maintaining their relationships as they are healing.

GROUP THERAPY

Care Counseling is currently running a grief skills and support group for young adults ages 18 – 29 who have experienced the loss of a loved one or friend.

Additional groups may be added in the future such as:

  • A spousal loss (widow/widowers) group
  • A group for individuals who have suffered traumatic loss
  • A group for individuals who have suffered perinatal loss

Myths associated with grief

click on the plus sign to reveal the “truth”

In fact grief often ebbs and flows and is unique to each person.

In fact moving through grief and building a grief narrative that includes meaning making is the goal

In fact while many symptoms exist in both grief and depression, grievers remain hopeful

In fact grief is not timed but it does change over time

In fact grief is painful and there is no time limit

In fact there is no right or wrong way to grieve

In fact both men and women tend to go through similar phases however, they may express their emotions differently

In fact any significant loss can be difficult, painful, and disruptive

Common Symptoms

Crying

Sleep pattern changes (e.g. difficulty sleeping, too little/too much sleep)

Feeling apathetic about the day’s necessary tasks or life in general

Changes in appetite

Withdrawing from normal/usual social interactions and relationships

Difficulty concentrating

Questioning Spiritual or Religious beliefs

Feelings of anger, guilt, loneliness, depression, emptiness, sadness

Complex Symptoms

Intense focus on reminders of the deceased, or excessive avoidance

Intense feelings of sadness, pain, detachment, sorrow, hopelessness, emptiness, low self-esteem, bitterness, longing for the deceased’s presence

Difficulty accepting the reality of the death

Self- destructive behavior (e.g. drug or alcohol abuse)

Suicidal thoughts or actions

Recurrent distressing dreams or nightmares involving the deceased

More Information

Purpose Groups

Process Groups

Grieving at Every Age

How do I Support Someone Who is Grieving

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