Bereavement & grief

What is Grieving?

Grieving is a natural healing process that occurs after loss, the process of grieving can be confusing and full of conflict.

The loss of someone we love or know can be a shattering experience. With their passing we have to face the painful and demanding journey of coping with the loss and separation whilst continuing day-2-day living; holding down a career or looking after family that may also be impacted by grief. This takes time and energy, and often takes much longer than expected.

Symptoms of grief

• Sadness
• Longing or yearning
• Shock
• Confusion
• Fatigue
• Anxiety
• Feeling of helplessness
• Guilt
• Anger
• Fear
• Numbness
• Relief
• Physical pain or sickness

Many of these feelings can be experienced together or in quick succession. With time, and support of friends and family, the pain of loss will usually lessen and grief will ease. There are no firm rules for the length of process of grief can last up to two years

Physical sensations of grief

• Hollowness in the stomach
• Tightness in the throat
• Tightness in the chest
• Oversensitivity to noise or light
• A sense of being in a film looking into own world - nothing seems real, including self
• Weakness in muscles
• Lack of energy
• Dry mouth

Help with grief

Perhaps you have nobody who is easy to talk to, or your relationships with others may be suffering as a result of the death. It is quite common to find it is difficult to concentrate on work or everyday tasks.

You may feel you are “just not getting over it”. During such times like these, talking things through with someone else may help. Sometimes your family doctor, minister or priest can help. Perhaps there is a particular person in whom you can confide. When we are faced with the painful and daunting task of picking up the pieces of our lives again without the presence of the one we love. This takes time and can be a lonely battle.

Counselling and psychotherapy

Recommendations

If you would like to explore more about self-help and counselling before contacting us, then two books we recommend are:

TA Today

Ian Stewart, Vann Joines
£11.99
This is a comprehensive introduction to Transactional Analysis. The book is well structured and is easily read, and covering the main areas of TA theory. A great feature of this book is the examples and exercises included.
Buy this book online now

Counselling for Toads

Robert de Board
£9.99
I love this book and many of my clients do too. This is an informative story about Toad on the road to recovery from 'depression'. Counselling for Toads provides an insight into the process counselling and psychotherapy, this book should be a companion to anyone that is having or thinking about counselling or psychotherapy.
Buy this book online now

Further information

The Samaritans

Cruse Bereavement Care