Bereavement
Bereavement, Grief & Loss
How can counselling and psychotherapy help with grief or bereavement?
Counselling can be a helpful way of coming to terms with grief or loss. Bereavement counsellors can help you through the grieving process, by helping you to cope and deal with painful and confusing emotions, to accept loss, to make the relevant adjustments and to develop productive and individualised coping mechanisms.
Bereavement counsellors can offer you a space to explore your feelings in a confidential and safe environment and can support and guide you, either on a short or long-term basis, through this difficult time.
Dealing with Bereavement
The stages of bereavement, grief and loss:
The first usual response to a bereavement is one of shock.
Denial usually follows, as the bereaved find it so difficult to accept the reality of the loss. For example, you might try to tell yourself that life is just the same as it was before, and you may re-enact activities such as making a cup of tea for your partner. These feelings of denial may then progress into feelings of upset, anger and even guilt. These emotions can manifest themselves in a variety of different ways and can include blaming others for your loss, becoming easily agitated and having emotional outbursts.
Sometimes a period of depression may follow which can include symptoms such as sleeplessness, irritability, changes in appetite, unexplained physical pains, loss of motivation and social withdrawal. You may feel that life does not have a purpose.
Finally, at some point you will move to a position of acceptance whereby you realise that life must go on. Whilst you may still think about the person that you have lost, these thoughts may become less intense and less frequent, allowing you to regain your energy and motivation. However, reaching this final stage can take considerable time and is a process that cannot be hurried. Happiness can re-enter your life even though at times it feels like it never will.
Talk to us now
Our therapists are located in Cork city and county and are available to meet you now. All locations are in private discrete premises, and you will be given full directions when you make an appointment.
Please feel free to contact us to discuss any aspect of counselling, without any obligations.
Please call or email us now
Cork Counselling Centre
Telephone: 059 9171909
Mobile: 085 1600999