What Is Grief Counseling and How Does It Help?
Loss or anticipating future loss is extremely difficult for people of all ages to endure. Whether it is losing a job, pet, or loved one, grief is a natural response that kids, teens, and adults may face. A common recommendation for those struggling with such loss is grief counseling, but many wonder, “What is grief counseling?”
Learn more about some key grief counseling techniques, the benefits of seeking the services, and who grief counseling can help. After reading, reach out to In Balance Counseling, a compassionate counseling center in Tucson, AZ. We offer intensive outpatient and individual counseling services.
What Is Grief Counseling?
Professional counselors can help people understand grief, process a traumatic event or situation, and share their thoughts and feelings. They can experience life after loss in a healthy way and accept the situation while making space for emotions and changes.
You might consider seeking help for your mental health if you’re in the grieving process and experiencing major depression. Grief counseling is a safe and healthy outlet for people of all ages to manage and work through their grief symptoms. It’s especially vital if someone doesn’t have social support while grieving a loss, as counseling can offer compassion and a listening ear.
Common Techniques in Grief Counseling
Grief counselors may take different approaches based on their patients and the type of loss they’ve experienced. During grief counseling, a counselor might encourage talk therapy (discussing the loss) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to change unhealthy or negative thought patterns into positive ones. Some other techniques are acceptance and commitment therapy and complicated grief treatment.
Counselors could also use mindfulness, ritual-focused counseling, or narrative therapy to help their patients grieve a loss.
How Grief Counseling Helps People
Everyone can take something different away from their grief counseling sessions. Grief counseling often helps people to:
- Live their lives with meaning
- Honor the memories of their loved ones
- Deal with reminders of their loss
- Talk about how they feel
- Understand death and loss
- Maintain and improve their current relationships
- Decrease feelings of pain, anxiety, sadness, and more
- Navigate fears and anxieties from their grief
- Work through painful feelings
Who Can Benefit From Grief Counseling?
Grief affects people in different ways, but families and individuals can benefit from grief counseling.
- Children. Kids process grief differently and may have a harder time processing a major loss. Grief counseling gives them an outlet and place to understand loss and move forward.
- Teenagers. Many teenagers struggle to cope in a healthy way while grieving, but counseling can help.
- Adults. Some adults may have a difficult time accepting life after loss and processing emotions in a healthy manner.
- Families. Family members can disconnect after a loss or gravitate toward one another — grief counseling can address challenges.
Schedule Individual Counseling Services with Tucson’s Caring Counseling Group
Now that we’ve covered “What is grief counseling?” you might be considering seeking therapy or counseling services. You can contact In Balance Counseling in Tucson, AZ, to learn more about our individual counseling services and IOPs for substance abuse. Call us at (520) 722-9631.
