Grieving

Grief/Loss

Grief, while a normal part of life for us all, carries a degree of risk when limited support is available. Severe reactions to loss may carry over into familial relations and cause trauma for children, spouses and any other family members: there is an increased risk of marital breakup following the death of a child, for example. Many forms of what we term ‘mental illness’ have loss as their root, but because they have been covered by many years and circumstances, it often goes unnoticed. Issues of personal faith and beliefs may also face challenge, as bereaved persons reassess personal definitions in the face of great pain. While many who grieve are able to work through their loss independently, accessing additional support from bereavement professionals may promote the process of healing. Grief counseling, professional support groups or educational classes, and peer-led support groups are primary resources available to the bereaved.

Sequential stages including denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance are commonly referred to as the “grief cycle”. As research progressed over the past 40 years, many who worked with the bereaved found stage models too simplistic and instead began to look at processes, dynamics, and experiences common to all. John Bowlby, a noted psychiatrist, outlined the ebb and flow of processes such as Shock and Numbness, Yearning and Searching, Disorganization and Despair, and Reorganization.

Many studies have looked at the bereaved in terms of increased risks for stress-related illnesses. Increased doctor visits with symptoms such as abdominal pain, breathing difficulties, and so forth in the first six months following a death have all been noted. Teenagers have been found to be at five times greater risk of suicide following the death of a parent.

Grief puts a great stress on the physical body as well as on the psyche, resulting in wear and tear beyond what is normal.

Contact us here, by email at hopecounselingeap@gmail.com, or by phone at (863) 709-8110 for grief counseling, loss counseling and grief support. We are located in Lakeland Florida.

• Lakeland
• Winter Haven
• Davenport
• Frostproof

Our caring staff will be more than happy to assist you.