Grief may occur when an individual experiences the loss of someone or something that is very important to them. Coping with the death of a close friend or family member may be one of the toughest challenges that we may experience.
The pain and the sense of loss may be especially intense if we lose a spouse, sibling, parent, or a child. This includes those who have lost a baby due to miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, neonatal death, and termination, including those terminations due to poor prenatal diagnosis. The loss of a child at any age or gestation is a devastating and a life-changing experience.
Grief may occur when facing one’s own death, perhaps as a consequence of a terminal illness, or as a consequence of a natural disaster, such as the fires which devastated Fort McMurray.
A person may also experience grief in situations that involve the loss of a relationship such as a separation from a loved one, when a relationship ends, or following a divorce. It may be felt as a consequence of job loss, a career ending, or retirement. Others may experience heartbreak when a child leaves home or in the death of a beloved pet.
There is no “normal” timeline for someone to grieve, and people may act differently in the face of a loss. Counselling can help to guide an individual through the variety of emotions experienced. It can assist the individual to build their resilience and develop positive and adaptive strategies to express and cope with their loss. Ultimately supporting the individual towards recovery.
Grief and loss experiences can cause a spectrum of emotions and symptoms, which can sometimes include post-traumatic stress symptoms such as flashbacks, nightmares, severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts and memories about the experience. Sometimes it may cause the person to feel numb, unable to mourn the loss.
Rebecca and her team are trained in EMDR and other trauma processing therapies that help to heal the effects of trauma. Contact the team today to start your recovery.