Bereavement and Grief Counselling

Bereavement and Grief Counselling

Bereavement and Grief Counselling – Bereavement and Grief are often used interchangeably but are slightly different things.

Bereavement is the experience of losing someone important to us. It is characterised by grief, which is the process and the range of emotions we go through as we gradually adjust to the loss. 

Feelings of grief can also occur in other circumstances, not just when we have lost someone, for instance, at the end of a relationship, the loss of a job, experiencing a disability, moving house, the illness or disability of someone else.

Sometimes we can experience Anticipatory Grief

Anticipatory grief is a sense of loss that we feel when we are expecting a death. It features many of the same symptoms as those experienced after a death has occurred, including depression, extreme sadness or concern for the dying person. It does not necessarily replace, reduce or make grief after the loss any easier or shorter, but for some people it can provide the opportunity to prepare for the loss and for what the future might look like. 

Anticipatory grief may also occur when we are anticipating other losses, for instance if we know we are going to be made redundant, or that we are going to have an operation that will change our lives.

Bereavement and Grief Counselling

This all goes to show that loosing someone, or something important to us, be that a person, animal job or relationship bereavement and grief can be messy, difficult and confusing.

If you are going through bereavement or grief, whether that be anticipatory or after the event, you may be faced with a whole range of intense emotions from sadness to anger, or perhaps you are not feeling anything at all, perhaps you feel numb. Sometimes it can be difficult to process how you feel after you have lost someone. If that is the case talking to a professional can be helpful.

Paul Carter is a counsellor and psychotherapist with many years of experience, you can learn more about Paul here on the About Paul Page. If you would like to make an appointment with him please use the Contact Page or call on 07843 813 537. Paul works in Birmingham and Kingswinford, although currently due to COVID is working exclusively online and on the telephone. For more information about how counselling works and current fees please take a look at the FAQs page.

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Bereavement and Counselling

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