The loss of someone we love is one of the most difficult hardships we will all face in our lifetime. This will vary depending on multiple factors: our relationship with that person, the circumstances and our response to the loss, or our spiritual and cultural background. We may need professional help with moving through the various stages of grief and the healing process.
A qualified grief therapist can help people find healthy ways to mourn the death of a loved one. This includes accepting the reality of the loss, giving permission to grieve, or talking and expressing emotions and thoughts. To find meaning and deal with grief a therapist can assist someone to overcome guilt, deal with anger and regret, cope with life changes resulting from the loss or check for signs of depression. They can also deal with long term overwhelming and intense emotional pain, offer a support system, or family counseling if needed. They can also help with setting realistic goals, using art therapy, journaling and other appropriate techniques.
Counselors often face multi cultural families, people living in cultures that are not their traditional ones. Such situations are especially difficult as what is considered normal in one culture maybe considered taboo in another when dealing with death of a loved one. It is then important for the counselor to be familiar and respect such different cultures and spiritual beliefs supporting the people as they grieve their own way and in their own time. Grief counseling can also help with other types of loss, including workplace grief, women suffering miscarriages or loss of a pet, among others.
