Grief and Loss

“Grief is a most peculiar thing; we’re so helpless in the face of it. It’s like a window that will simply open of its own accord. The room grows cold, and we can do nothing but shiver. But it opens a little less each time, and a little less; and one day we wonder what has become of it.”
― Arthur Golden, Memoirs of a Geisha

Grief can be one of the most debilitating experiences humans can live through. Often, it is difficult to see the path ahead after losing something or someone close to us. The light that guides us through good and bad times is dimmer, making the journey through life more frightening. Experiencing the impacts of grief can be an isolating feeling. Perhaps you ask yourself how anyone could understand what you are going through, how could anyone be able to support you in a time like this? Maybe you are struggling to take care of yourself due to the heaviness of loss.

If you have found yourself asking these questions, you are not alone. A myth about grief is that it disappears over time. Rather, grief grows with us. Grief is a part of our souls and through therapy, learning to live alongside grief can be a powerful reclamation of our journeys. Grief therapy focuses on learning how to navigate the forces of grief and implementing healthy coping skills to take care of your mind, soul, and body.

Ways of Dealing with Grief and Loss in Therapy

Possible steps that can be taken in grief therapy include:

Acceptance of loss – allowing yourself to acknowledge the grief and loss you are experiencing.
Developing coping skills – by expanding your toolbox on how to process and live alongside grief, the dominating effects of loss can be lessened.
Establishing a connection to loss – it is common for people experiencing grief to fear the possibility of ‘forgetting’ what or who they lost. By maintaining a connection to this loss, we are able to relieve anxiety and guilt surrounding grief.

Taking the step to learn how to cope with grief is brave. Grief does not have to control our lives and we can mourn healthily while also tapping into memories of what we have lost.