Grieving is a natural process that occurs when a person encounters some form of loss including but not limited to:

• Death of a loved one 
• Multiple losses close in time to each other
• Divorce or the end of an important relationship
• Loss of a job or a significant financial setback
• Death of a pet
• Diagnosis of a serious health problem
• Damaged or lost body parts
• Infertility
• Dashed hopes or dreams

The grieving process is often difficult to work through, and can be negatively impacted by multiple factors including: preexisting physical or mental health difficulties; insufficient coping skills; the existence of other substantial stressors or demands in a person’s life at the time of the loss; the suddenness and/or the severity of the loss experience; or unresolved aspects of a relationship (with a loved one who has died or with an ex-spouse).

Signs that you may need help coping with loss or grief:

• Significant sadness, depression, anger, guilt, hopelessness, or anxiety
• Decreased ability to carry out activities of daily living
• Difficulty sleeping since the loss
• Strong mood swings or emotional volatility
• Concerns about your ability to cope
• Fear you are "losing your mind"
• Physical distress such as pain, fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain, and muscle tension
• Remorse over past behavior
• Thoughts of hurting yourself or others

The aim of grief counseling is to help the person who has experienced a loss to more effectively move through the stages of grief. This is accomplished primarily by learning to manage emotional reactions associated with the loss in healthier ways. The ultimate goal is to facilitate greater acceptance of what has occurred and an increased capacity to reconnect with life in meaningful ways.

Our therapists utilize a comprehensive approach to helping our clients to work through complicated grief reactions. We tailor therapy to the specific needs of each client’s situation incorporating some combination of the following strategies:

• Development of relaxation, assertiveness, distress tolerance, and/or emotion regulation skills
• Development of healthy lifestyle changes
• Development of more effective ways of thinking about yourself, your relationships with others, and events in your life
• Resolution of painful emotional experiences linked to traumatic events
• Referral, if necessary, for a medication evaluation (available at our practice) 

Please contact our office at 724-934-3905, or via our online Contact Form, for more information or to schedule an appointment.