Bereavement Counselling

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Bereavement Counselling

Grief is a natural and normal response to the loss of a loved one; most people are able to process their grief over a period of time without intervention, but for those who find themselves mired in grief bereavement counselling is an effective form of treatment.

Grief is most commonly understood to be the emotional response to the death of a loved one, but in reality, grief is an emotional reaction to loss.

We can grieve for people and pets who die, of course, but for many people, the loss of a relationship, job, or even perception of self can spark a grieving process.

Each person processes grief in a unique way; not all grieving processes require intervention in the form of counselling. When it comes to the death of a loved one, however, there are three main types of grief which commonly require intervention.

Understanding Grief

There are three main different categories of grief which we describe below:

1. Anticipatory Grief

Though the common perception of grief is that it is something which happens after death, this is not always the case; for people acting as caregivers to terminally or chronically ill loved ones the process of grieving often begins with diagnosis.

Anticipatory grief is exhausting, especially when combined with the stress of caring for someone who is ill, fighting addiction. In some cases, spouses of active military personnel also struggle with anticipatory grief.

2. Secondary Loss

Secondary losses are the losses which are triggered by that first bereavement, usually a death. Though less well understood, they are nonetheless triggers for grief and be very distressing and destabilising.

The most obvious examples of secondary loss are loss of financial stability, the loss of a home as a result of this, the loss of a family structure, and the loss of an important relationship.

3. Complicated Grief

Complicated grief leaves people feeling unable to recover even a long time after the initial bereavement, and while there is no time limit on healthy grieving studies suggest that complicated grief may be identifiable 6 months after the loss.

A number of factors can complicate grief; the nature of the relationship with the deceased, circumstances surrounding the loss, the age of the person who has died, and existing mental conditions all play their part.

What is Bereavement Counselling?

Bereavement counselling is an umbrella term for a range of therapies, from cognitive behavioural therapy to mindfulness, which is designed to help people who are struggling to cope with grief following the loss of a loved one.

The aim of bereavement or grief counselling is to help those who are overwhelmed by a loss to process their feelings and develop healthy coping mechanisms that will enable them to face their current situation, and any future losses, with confidence.

Treatments for Bereavement

The incredibly personal nature of bereavement and grief means that the process of treatment and counselling must be flexible. This is why talking therapies, group therapies, and other person-led options are the most common counselling methods.

Treatments for prolonged or intense grief can be taken on an inpatient or outpatient basis, and while most people prefer to retain their day to day schedule, inpatient treatment is the best option for anyone who poses a risk to their own safety.

For most people, talking therapy or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is the most effective options, but programmes of mindfulness and recreational therapy are often successful, too.

Below, we have listed the most common forms of therapy for bereavement:

One-on-One CBT or Talking Therapy

Depending upon the circumstances surrounding the bereavement, either talking therapy or cognitive behavioural therapy may be required, though a mixture of both is often beneficial.

The ability to talk about the events surrounding the death of a loved one (talking therapy) and an action-focused approach to managing unhealthy thoughts and behaviours (CBT) are often instrumental in recovery for those who find that grief has become complicated.

Group Therapy

Grief can feel isolating, even when we are surrounded by friends and family. Group therapies help people struggling with loss to connect with others in the same situation. The unique and intimate understanding of the grieving process which they share is often key to encouraging recovery.

By sharing anecdotes, coping methods, and feelings these support groups have the capacity to help bereaved persons to realise that grief is not a permanent state.

Mindfulness

Grief shares many symptoms with anxiety and depression, and so treatments for mild iterations of these disorders are often helpful. Mindfulness, in particular, can be very helpful for people facing complicated grief because it encourages them to listen to their bodies and reduce the prevalence of negative thoughts and actions as a result.

Mindfulness is often instrumental in accepting a loss.