Grief & Loss Counseling

Recently endured a big change or loss?

We often find ourselves in seasons of growth and seasons of change. Whether you experienced a death, a breakup/divorce, or a big transition- you may be feeling stuck, frozen or numb. This is part of the grieving process. Grief can be processed after the perceived loss of something, not just life but a way of life, a lifestyle, a partnership you expected to have for life. As we experience these things, we often find a way to stay numb- maybe busy- to keep our mind off of that thing we don’t want to look at. How long have you avoided that grief? It may take twice as long to heal than the time you have kept it inside.

The Grieving Process

There is no right way to experience grief. We don’t have a specific timeline or step-by-step way to heal but there are 5 “stages” of grief that can be experienced in any order/timing/or re-occurrence as we heal the piece of ourselves that feels lost.

These stages are:

  • denial

  • anger

  • bargaining

  • depression

  • acceptance

As we process the experience, we can ignore that it was reality for a period of time where we usually feel emotionally numb. Once the brain fights that denial, we can go through a stage of anger where we begin seeing the reality of the event/experience. As we begin to accept the reality of it, as well as the pain and emotional affect- we can have a response to bargain and doubt that the reality is not what we should believe. After these stages cycle maybe a few times through, depression can increase as we accept that there is no use of bargaining & denying any longer and can lead to the acceptance.

Am I Stuck in This Process Forever?

We are here to tell you that this is not a forever thing. Some grieving processes take longer than others that we will experience in this lifetime and that is human. If we did not have these emotional processes- we wouldn’t be the loving and expressive beings that we are. Even if we still become emotional and have tender feelings towards that experience, we can process it to an understanding that it does not have to hold us back in life.

How long have you been in denial?

How many times have you bargained your brain to numb the pain?

How many more times can you cycle through until you have had enough?

We are here. To professionally walk with you through the stages as you experience them to encourage you towards the acceptance that will bring feeling back into your life.

Lean into the experience of life with one of our counselors specializing in grief & loss.