Grief and Bereavement Counselling
Bereavement is the process of recovering from the death of a loved one. Grief is a reaction for any form of loss. Both encompass a wide range of emotions, such as fear, anger and deep, deep sadness.
Grief and bereavement take many forms and can stem from a wide range of experiences during the perinatal period, including fertility treatments, miscarriage, stillbirth, termination for medical reasons, early infant loss, grief over the loss of your previous identity before becoming a parent, a birth experience that was drastically different from your expectations, as well as the loss of the dreams and visions you had for what your experience as a parent would be like.
The process of adapting to a loss can dramatically change from person to person, depending on his or her background, beliefs, and other factors.
Common symptoms of grief can be physical, emotional or social.
Physical:
- Crying and sighing;
- Headaches;
- Loss of appetite;
- Difficulty sleeping; and
- Weakness; and
- Fatigue.
Emotional:
- Feelings of sadness and yearning;
- Feelings of worry or anger; and
- Feelings of frustration or guilt.
Social:
- Feeling detached from others;
- Self-isolation from social contact; and
- Behaving in ways that are not normal for you.
Every grieving experience is different. A person may be able to continue their day-to-day routine after one loss, yet not be able to get out of bed after a different experience of loss. Whatever your personal symptoms are, grief and bereavement counselling can help.
If you are experiencing grief-related thoughts, behaviors, or feelings that are distressing, please contact me today for a free consultation.