Grief and Loss Therapy

“Grief is not a disorder, a disease, or a sign of weakness. It is an emotional, physical and spiritual necessity, the price you pay for love. The only cure for grief is to grieve.” -Earl Grollman

Losing a loved one is one of the hardest things to go through. The sometimes mixed and intense emotions can rocket around your life until it feels like you’ll burst. Or maybe you’re not feeling much at all, just a quiet numbness and that thought that nothing will be the same again.

Grief comes in many forms and can be brought on by the loss of a friend, coworker, spouse, family member, anyone who held a relationship in your life. It can be a painful and traumatic experience, but one you don’t have to go on alone. The counselors at Stoughton Counseling understand your grief and are here to help you through it.

What is Grief and Loss Therapy?

Grieving is a natural and healthy part of life. But sometimes, it gets out of control. That’s where a counselor can come in. There are 5 commonly held stages of grief, although they can vary widely based on the individual person and situation.

1. Denial

2. Anger

3. Bargaining

4. Depression

5. Acceptance

Stoughton Counseling understands those are less than flattering descriptions. But there’s nothing wrong with being angry about the death of a loved one, or slipping into a depressive funk while you grieve. The person you lost meant a whole lot to you, and grieving is a way we can honor their memory while shifting to a way of life that will probably be a little different now.

It’s that shift that people can get stuck on. Many people who are grieving a loved one find themselves ‘stuck’ on one or more stages of grief. They can’t move past it to finish the healing cycle. Once again, we want to stress that it’s okay to grieve and be stuck. Sometimes professional help is just what is needed to move the process to acceptance.

That will be the main focus of a Grief counseling session. Our counselors don’t want to distract you or make you forget your loved one, we want to honor and treasure their life by moving to accept their passing. There are many strategies we can use together to accomplish this. Some are:

• Art and music therapy

• Exercise therapy

• Adapting to a new role

• Managing changes in behavior or schedule

• Developing new relationships or rekindling old ones with friends and family

• Cultivating a new way of life if necessary

• Talk therapy

These are just some of the examples of what may occur during a loss therapy session. Stoughton Counseling strongly believes in leading a client-first practice, and we want to walk with you to the place in life you wish to be.

Do I need Grief Therapy?

It doesn’t really matter who you lost or if you get stuck on a stage of grief- grieving will still hurt regardless. In such an emotionally turmolois time, how can you tell if what you’re experiencing is normal or if it’s time to seek help? It’s a hard question to answer. Stoughton Counseling is here for you and want to support you no matter the magnitude of your emotions. If you aren’t happy with your life, we are here to provide that professional guidance to a place you do want to be.

If you think Grief Therapy might be good for you, but aren’t sure, look for these signs in your life:

• Suicidal Thoughts

• Unrelentless depression

• Inability to find joy in activities and people you previously did

• A small or weak support system

• Avoiding friends or family

• Fear or apprehension over forming new relationships

• Numbness of emotion

• Finding more things to keep yourself busy and distracted

• Sudden changes in behavior (like anger, sleep or eating patterns)

• Inability to move on- if it’s been months and you still feel this way, it may be time to seek relief through professional counseling

Since the grieving process itself is so unique and diverse, it can be hard to know when to call a professional. Stoughton Counseling and our therapists are here for you when you are ready.