Loss and Bereavement Counselling
There is no ‘correct’ way to grieve…
Dealing with death or loss is a deeply personal and individual process, there is no single ‘correct’ way to grieve. It isn’t necessarily about ‘moving on’ and forgetting but learning to live with the loss and finding a way to move forward while still remembering and honouring who or what has been lost.
Loss for you could be…
The death of a loved one.
A future death (anticipatory grief).
A sudden death like suicide.
A break up or end of a relationship.
A miscarriage or still birth.
A pet dying.
A life transition such as retirement, marriage, job loss or having a baby.
How grief can affect you
You might feel shock and numbness, sadness and loneliness, anger, helplessness, relief, guilt, anxiety or fear.
You might experience sleep disturbances, confusion, loss of appetite, absent-mindedness, dreams or nightmares, sighing or crying, hyperactivity, treasuring objects, and avoiding reminders.
You may experience physical symptoms like tightness in the chest or throat, breathlessness, no energy, dry mouth or a hollow stomach.
We all grieve differently
Grief is not a disorder, illness or sign of weakness.
You might not think it, but what you are feeling is normal – other people have had similar thoughts, feelings or experiences to you.
You might have heard of the stages of grief (Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance), but they don’t follow a set order.
There’s no set time limit for grieving; it happens differently for everyone.