Grief counseling

A man working with his counsellor

Grief counseling is a form of psychotherapy that aims to help people cope with the physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and cognitive responses to loss. These experiences are commonly thought to be brought on by a loved person's death, but may more broadly be understood as shaped by any significant life-altering loss (e.g., divorce, home foreclosure, or job loss).[1]

Grief counselors believe that everyone experiences and expresses grief in personally unique ways that are shaped by family background, culture, life experiences, personal values, and intrinsic beliefs.[2] They believe that it is not uncommon for a person to withdraw from their friends and family and feel helpless; some might be angry and want to take action. Some may laugh while others experience strong regrets or guilt. Tears or the lack of crying can both be seen as appropriate expressions of grief.[3]

Grief counselors know that one can expect a wide range of emotion and behavior associated with grief. Some counselors believe that in virtually all places and cultures, the grieving person benefits from the support of others.[4] Further, grief counselors believe that where such support is lacking, counseling may provide an avenue for healthy resolution. Grief counselors also believe that where the process of grieving is interrupted, for example, by the one who is grieving having to simultaneously deal with practical issues of survival or by their having to be the strong one who is striving to hold their family together, grief can remain unresolved and later resurface as an issue for counseling.[5]

  1. ^ Kneip, Richard. "Psychology of Grief". GLPG.
  2. ^ Hoy, William G. (2016). Bereavement groups and the role of social support : integrating theory, research, and practice. New York, NY: Routledge/Taylor and Francis. ISBN 9781317416357. OCLC 942843686.
  3. ^ William, Worden, J. (2018-05-28). Grief Counseling and Grief Therapy : A Handbook for the Mental Health Practitioner (Fifth ed.). New York, NY. ISBN 9780826134752. OCLC 1032303183.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ Nadeau, Janice Winchester: Families Making Sense of Death. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 1998
  5. ^ "When Grief Shows Up (Sometimes) Years Later | Pathways". Pathways Home Health and Hospice. Retrieved 2022-11-16.