Grief Counseling Altamonte Springs, FL

Benefits of Grief Counseling

The foremost important benefit of grief counseling is a trained professional’s ability to help patients work through their grief at their own pace. We understand that everybody is different, as is their situation and coping methods. Individuals who learn to understand their grief and ride the waves are less likely to fall back into a stage after they have passed acceptance.

Aside from helping patients cope, grief counseling has many other benefits, including:

• Addressing feelings of guilt
• Allowing the expression of emotions
• Building a strong support system
• Coming to terms with reality
• Treating trauma

Although some people can cope with grief and reach the acceptance stage on their own, many people cannot or do not know that they are still in a stage of grief. This can lead to complicated grief, a more severe form of grief in which symptoms are intensified and last for longer periods of time.

The Grief Counseling Process

Grief counseling begins with an initial consultation and assessment. The first visit is dedicated to learning about one another and understanding the patient’s case. It is important to form a bond and mutual connection to build trust and help them through the remainder of the sessions. We will also go through and discuss the patient’s mental and physical health history and any other pertinent information regarding their situation or loss.

A professional assessment allows the counselor or therapist to understand the situation, backstory of any preexisting relationship, and severity of the patient's grief. It can also assess the patient’s risk factors and relapse levels. This information helps us formulate a more individualized treatment plan and focus sessions on the most needed aspects. After the first few sessions, we will inform the patient of the amount and frequency of sessions they may need and make any adjustments.

When to Seek Grief Counseling

Individuals are more likely to seek grief counseling when they acknowledge that they are dealing with grief. To do so, they must assess the feelings, emotions, symptoms, and responses happening and pinpoint the root cause. Common causes of grief include losing a job, home, natural disaster, bereavement, depression, broken heart, or traumatic events such as war or abuse.

It becomes critical to seek grief counseling when an individual begins to exhibit signs of depression: feeling like life is not worth living, wishing to have died with or before their loved one, blaming themselves for the loss, or feeling numb/disconnected from others. They may start having difficulty trusting others or unable to perform daily tasks as they normally would. Grief counseling can help curb these symptoms and feelings before they worsen and become debilitating.

Adapting to Grief Counseling in One’s Lifestyle

Grief is inevitable and happens to everyone at some point in time. Therapists receive the training to listen from the heart without judgment, speaking with knowledge and experience. Counseling and treatment help patients manage their grief through proven coping techniques such as:

1. Dealing with any guilt they are feeling and help them understand the grief
2. Distinguishing grief from trauma
3. Talking about the deceased or other loss

Understanding the feelings and emotions that come with grief can help patients manage and cope with the waves as they come. Having a professional guide them through it allows them to separate their feelings from the reactions they may put out. Counseling also provides the patient with ways to live their life with grief and helps them get back to their normal routine.