Signs You May Need Grief Counseling

Have you lost someone or something you love? Grief is the mental, emotional, and physical process of coping with loss. While it may be a normal and natural reaction, it is not easy. Sometimes grief can be complicated or complex based on other life factors.

When you’re walking through grief, one of the best ways to heal is to have someone to walk alongside you. You need a listening ear and compassionate support. Maybe you could benefit from techniques to help you work through your emotions in a healthy way.

Meeting a Christian grief counselor can provide you with a safe space to unburden yourself and find support and healing. You’re not alone, and you can heal at your own pace. Contact our office today to learn more about Christian grief counseling.

What are the Stages of Grief?

You have probably heard of the idea that grief tends to move through specific stages, although these stages can vary for everyone. Your grief journey is unique to you; however, it can be helpful to understand the general pattern.

Here are the stages of grief, with examples of thoughts or statements you might make in each stage:

Denial: “This can’t be happening; this isn’t real.”

Anger: “This isn’t my fault. What did I do to deserve this? This shouldn’t be happening to me.”

Bargaining: “Maybe if I do [specific action], this will go away.”

Depression: “I can’t go on like this. I’m never going to feel normal again.”

Acceptance: “My loss and pain are real, but I am going to survive, and life is still worth living.”

Remember, these emotional responses are normal and expected. They are not wrong. But the way you cope with them can determine how well you will be able to accept your loss and still live a healthy and meaningful life. Grief counseling can help you survive, cope, and eventually flourish again.

Can Grief Counseling Help Me Cope with Loss?

No matter how strong your faith in God is, or how securely you hope in heaven, when you lose a loved one, your faith and hope can be shaken and even feel shattered. In Christ, we have hope beyond the grave, and we know that God has a purpose for our lives amid pain. But during the raw experience of loss, you may have trouble clinging to these truths.

When we undergo significant loss and heartache, every part of our minds and bodies are affected. Trusting God doesn’t take away the fact that grief is a process. Grieving well doesn’t mean you don’t experience sadness or depression; rather, it means you’re progressing through the stages of grief at your own pace, and that you’re still able to function and care for yourself and others.

If you’re struggling to cope with your grief, a professional Christian counselor can help you with compassionate care from a biblical worldview.

What are the Signs I May Need Grief Counseling?

No matter how your grief process is progressing, you can benefit from professional Christian grief counseling. But if you notice any of the following signs in you or someone you know, consider whether Christian counseling for grief and loss might be necessary.

When you’re struggling to cope with loss, it can sometimes be an open door for self-destructive behaviors to gradually creep into your life. Here are some examples:

• You struggle to return to your daily routine.
• You feel trapped by recurring thoughts.
• You have thoughts of death or suicide.
• You struggle to trust other people.
• You blame yourself for your loss.
• You feel like your life is not worth living.
• You feel isolated from other people for extended periods.

If you recognize these signs in you or a loved one, please reach out to our office as soon as possible. These signs point to possible complicated or complex grief. Regardless of the magnitude of your loss, you may find yourself dealing with complicated grief.

How Do I Know if I Have Complicated Grief?

Complicated grief is defined as being stuck in a negative pattern of behavior without consistent improvement within a year of your loss.

Maybe your loss happened a year, or two, or three ago, or even longer, but you feel as if it is still fresh in your mind, and you haven’t returned to a functional daily routine. If this is the case, professional counseling can help you move through a healthy process of grief so that you’re able to heal.

Here are some symptoms of complicated grief:

• You have no desire to participate in activities you used to enjoy.
• You struggle to dwell on happy memories of your lost loved one.
• You constantly want to be with your loved one.
• You have ongoing bitterness and anger.
• You actively avoid reminders of your loved one.
• You have constant thoughts of your loved one and the circumstances surrounding their loss.
• You are always sad.

Loss and grief can be traumatic, and sometimes it is not possible to heal on your own, but there is hope! You will never forget your loved one and life will never be quite the same, but it is possible to find healing and joy once again.

Healing from Traumatic Loss – is it Possible?

Complicated grief is often associated with traumatic loss. What is the difference between traumatic loss and non-traumatic loss? No matter what, there is a great deal of pain and suffering involved, but a traumatic loss is marked by suddenness, unexpectedness, and/or violence.

If any of these factors were involved in your bereavement, you may be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD requires treatment by a professional mental health expert. If you think you might have PTSD, consider whether any of the following symptoms apply:

• You have strong emotional sensitivity. Common heightened emotions include anger, anxiety, fear, and nervousness.
• You often or constantly have flashbacks, memories, and nightmares where you relive the traumatic event(s) in detail.
• You experience insomnia or sleep disturbances.
• You avoid people, places, and situations that trigger memories of the traumatic event.

It is possible to resolve the grief associated with traumatic loss. In Christian trauma counseling, your professional counselor integrates proven therapeutic techniques with a compassionate, faith-based approach to map out your individual treatment plan. We desire to see you filled with hope and healing as you experience the love of Christ amid your grief.

Hope in Christ to Heal from Grief

Christianity does not offer us an escape from the trials and suffering in this world (John 16:33). What it does offer us is the knowledge that God is with us through the hardest times in our lives, even when it’s difficult to sense his presence.

Faith in God’s sovereignty and kindness does not mean that you will not experience natural, strong, and at times overpowering human emotions in the face of grief and loss. Christian counseling for grief can help you make sense of these emotions, process them, and recognize the love that God has for you.

No matter what complex emotions or questions are associated with your grief, you will have a safe place to talk and sort through them at your own pace and comfort level.

Each person’s process of grief is unique to them. As important as it is to have friends and family who can sympathize with you, it’s also helpful to have someone on the outside who is there just to listen and help you. We have seen and heard about many grievous losses and heartbreaks, and we’ve also seen redemption and healing through God’s grace.

You will never be pressured to accept anyone else’s timetable for healing, but as you feel ready, your counselor can help you accept your loss, adjust to your new way of life without your loved one, and cultivate loving memories and connection to them, despite your bereavement.

If you are ready to take the next step in your process of healing, contact our office today for a risk-free initial session, and we will connect you with a Christian grief counselor.