Grief and bereavement aren’t light-hearted topics. They are the immediate emotional states one experiences after suffering a death while mourning refers to the process of recovering from the loss of a loved one. Both grief and mourning encompass a wide range of emotions and may include fear, guilt, anger, unexpected tearfulness and intense sadness.

The process of adapting to a loss may differ dramatically from person to person, depending on one’s background, beliefs, relationship to the person who’s passed, and other circumstances.

Grief may be expressed physically, emotionally and socially.

Common manifestations in these categories are:

Physical

• Crying and sighing
• Headaches
• Loss of appetite
• Difficulty sleeping
• Weakness
• Fatigue

Emotional

• Feelings of sadness and yearning
• Feelings of worry or anger
• Feelings of frustration or guilt

Social

• Feeling detached from others
• Self-isolation from social contact
• Behaving in ways that are not normal for you

Every grieving experience is different. A person may be able to continue their day-to-day routine after one loss, yet not be able to get out of bed after the loss of someone else. For some, grief and mourning persist and reengaging with the world is impaired. Whatever your experience, grief and bereavement counseling has been shown to ease the pain of loss and make adapting to a new reality smoother.

If you are mourning and experiencing persistent grief-related thoughts, behaviors, or feelings, please contact me today for an initial consultation