Grief Counseling

Grief is a normal response to loss. We all must go through the stages of mourning in order to heal from the losses in our lives. The symptoms of grief are:

• Extreme focus on the loss and reminders of the loved one
  
• Intense longing or pining for the deceased
  
• Problems accepting the death
  
• Numbness or detachment
  
• Preoccupation with your sorrow
  
• Bitterness about your loss
  
• Inability to enjoy life
  
• Depression or deep sadness
  
• Trouble carrying out normal routines
  
• Withdrawing from social activities
  
• Feeling that life holds no meaning or purpose
  
• Irritability or agitation
  
• Lack of trust in others
  
• As we are mourning a loss, we move through the stages of grief, as defined by Elizabeth
• Kubler Ross in 1969. These stages are:
  
• denial
  
• anger
  
• bargaining
  
• depression
  
• acceptance

There are no set time frame, or even order in which these stages are “completed.” Therapy may be helpful if symptoms of grief do not seem to improve, or if an individual feels “stuck” in one particular stage.

David’s approach to helping someone resolve grief issues combines cognitive behavioral techniques with aspects of interpersonal psycho-therapy and motivational interviewing.

Click here to contact David for more information and a free consultation.