Healing from Loss (Grief)

I think of grief as a moving thing, like electricity; it enters into us in the wake of an event, and it must have a path out.

Counseling is one of the things that can provide a conduit for grief to move out of the body.

With most emotions, we tend to express them as we have them, but grieving can feel so bad and heavy that it’s natural to want to push it away. Holding it in and trying not to feel the pain and sadness is a losing battle though.

Even if you’re initially successful at pushing the sadness away, it will almost inevitably come up later. Healing takes time, but you can recover and even come out stronger.

Dandelion representing grief and loss counseling in Alaska

Symptoms of grief

Feeling overwhelmingly sad and crying may be the most recognizable symptoms of grief, especially after losing a loved one.
Black woman holding a red mug for healing from unexpected loss - looking for grief counseling online in AK

There are other, more subtle symptoms commonly experienced, including:

  • Short term memory issues, or absent-mindedness
  • Sleeping too much or not being able to sleep
  • Irritability
  • Fatigue – a feeling of heaviness in the body and lack of energy
  • Loss of appetite or excessive hunger
  • Changes in your spiritual life – either a strengthening or lessening of faith
  • Changes in your social life – feeling like people don’t understand, not wanting to be around people, or needing people around all the time
The depth and duration of the grief will likely be related to the strength of the connection to the one you’ve lost.

Is grief only triggered by death of a person you love?

No, the heavy sadness of grief can be experienced after of all kinds of loss, such as:

  • Death of a pet
  • Death of someone with whom you have unresolved conflict
  • Changes in people close to you, due to their injury or illness
  • Change in your own physical health (creating a sense of not knowing yourself or not recognizing the self you’ve always been)
  • Break-up or divorce
  • Events in the news, like 9/11 or mass shootings (even when you’re not directly affected)

It can even come after changes you’ve been happily anticipating, including transitions such as:

  • Moving
  • Change of career
  • Marriage or newly cohabitating
  • Introducing a child into the family
If you are grieving, I’m here to walk with you through the process. It will get better.

Let me help you grow and thrive.