Grief and loss is part of the human experience. Through all stages of life we experience it. As babies we lose baby teeth and hair onto the loss of being a child and entering adulthood. Experiencing the death and loss of a loved one is how we define the ultimate loss in our culture. While this loss can be extremely painful, grief and loss often occurs after many common life changes. The loss of a job, a home, a relationship or friendship, good health or a pet can be heartbreaking. Reactions to grief and loss vary from person to person and can change over time. It isn't uncommon to experience several reactions simultaneously. While struggling through the difficult reactions to grief the daily responsibilities of life can seem overwhelming and frustrating.
Reactions to Grief include:
- Sadness
- Anger and Betrayal
- Guilt and Shame
- Relief
- Feeling lost
- Over or under eating
- Loneliness
- Excessive Crying
- Changes in sleep
- Constantly thinking of the situation
- Low self- esteem
- Nightmares
- Difficulty making decisions
- Hopelessness
- Confusion
- Self- destructive thoughts
- Thinking you are different from everyone
- Questioning a reason to live and religious beliefs
You are not alone in your grief. Healing can occur and allow for anew in life. As a grief counselor I understand that each person experiences loss uniquely. We will take it one step at a time, I tailor my approach to each persons needs and help them make sense of their experience and guide them through their transformation to relief.