Grief Counselling
Bereavement Counselling in Clondalkin, Online and by Phone
Bereavement counselling may take more time than other counselling. The more tragic and the deeper the relationship is that the client has with the deceased, the more complicated this process is. My approach is simply to support and walk the road with the client as they go through the stages and tasks of grief.
Bereavement can also refer to loss in a relationship, a job, children moving away, grieving pets, etc.
What Approaches are used in Grief and Loss Therapy?
A client may initially feel very isolated in their loss. Their mind possibly could be overwhelmed with thoughts of their loss. This may lead to feeling they are losing control of their lives and that no one understands.
It is important that such a client feels safe in a therapy room.
Person Centered Therapy is the primary approach used to establish a safe working relationship between a therapist and their client. It is based on simply listening to the client and reflecting to them the significance of the story they are sharing.
Learn more about Person Centered Therapy HERE
A client may be struggling with beliefs about their grief, such as “I should have done more”, etc.
These beliefs are understandable, but make the grief more difficult. More problems are layered on top of an already difficult situation.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is the main approach used to help people overcome the negative effects of the thoughts about their grief.
The truth of the thoughts is specified, challenged, and a change plan is put in place.
Learn more about Cognitive Behavioural Therapy HERE
How can Counselling for Grief help?
Grief therapy helps the client to develop stronger coping skills for living with their loss.
Grief is usually permanent. Death ensures a loved one is not coming back.
Over time, a bereaved person will find that the depth and frequency of experiencing their grief begin to lessen.
The bereaved may not be able to reach that place on their own. Complications such as death by suicide or violence may prevent the grieved from experiencing a resolution to their grief.
Other complications, such as a strained relationship before the death, may exist.
Counselling can help the client come to terms with the issues that are preventing a natural bereavement process.
Specific Aspects of Bereavement Counselling
Counselling for loss is a very personal process.
Clients may take some time to even accept that the loss has happened. There is no logical process to go through.
It is learning to live again without what you have lost. With a death, there is not only the loss of the person but also everything that person meant to you.
Learning to live without your loved one, pet, marriage, etc., is a long process. Some days will be good, some will be bad.
A common theory regarding grief that I frequently refer to is, The Five Stages of Grief. Please watch HERE for a short video on this.
Another theory looks at the active tasks that a bereaved person may experience. HERE is a short video on The Tasks of Grief.
Associated Blogs on Grief and Loss
Loss and remembrance. A more detailed look at how a person experiences bereavement, including the secondary aspects of grief. Ways of managing the loss and looking at how it is worked with in the counselling room are discussed. There is a brief look at how faith can help.
Helping others bereaved by suicide. How does a person who has lost a loved one by suicide experience their grief?
Are there unique experiences they endure? This blog looks at how we can help grieving friends due to a suicide learn to live with their grief.
Working through your own grief after a suicide. Here is an acknowledgement of the pain of losing someone to suicide.
Aspects of how it affects a person, positive coping strategies and the changing nature of grief are discussed.
Words of comfort. This blog is a simple collection of sayings from wise people on the nature of family, friendship, self-acceptance and faith.
Frequently Asked Questions about Loss Counselling
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Grief that is not becoming easier to deal with after 6 months may need counselling intervention.
Grief that was caused by tragic circumstances or a complicated relationship beforehand may make grief difficult to process. -
You should expect this to be a long process and perhaps frustrating at times.
You will need to be open to experiencing strong emotions and to utilise support from others outside of the sessions. Indeed there maybe some direct work to do between sessions. Sometimes that work may involve creative expression of grief. -
“How long is a piece of string?”
There is no short cut to learning to live with grief.
It takes time.
Book with Prevail for Bereavement Counselling
To book a bereavement counselling session with James click here: