Our therapists offer grief & loss counseling in Birmingham, AL

My go-to approach for helping people in grief & loss counseling is to assess the nature of the loss and the impact the loss is having on the person, then tailor what they need to specifics regarding the loss. All of those factors greatly impact what may best assist the client, so it is important to collect that information, preferably in a conversational manner that feels more connecting for a client. I have found that it is usually important to provide certain psychoeducation about grief and loss to the client so that they have a realistic understanding of what to expect and can be more realistic and compassionate to themselves. I then work with them on how to process the loss based on their unique circumstances

I teach the following tools in grief & loss counseling:

• How to normalize the various mixed emotions of the grief and loss process, and learn that grief is not linear.
• How to incorporate aspects of the client's philosophical, spiritual, and/or religious context to assist them with processing what the loss may mean and ways it may impact how they view and experience the loss.
• Ways to begin accepting the reality of the loss and attending to the pain associated with the loss, as well as how to remain active and engaged in life following the loss, as that looks different at different points following the loss.
• How to mourn based on the nature of the relationship and circumstances of the loss,preparing for important dates, anniversaries, and milestones.

I am able to determine that a client is making meaningful progress in grief & loss counseling when they allow whatever emotions need space to have space, and find ways to do so that are healthy, not problematic or self-destructive. Also, when the client is able to start engaging more fully in their lives and report feeling able to connect with more of life's moments and emotions, as there is sometimes a detachment or numbness that can follow a loss.

Clients can supplement their time in grief & loss counseling with reading, listening, or viewing material that is helpful for them in acknowledging and working to accept the loss. For instance, reading sections of a spiritual, philosophical, or religious text that is meaningful to the person, watching videos of others who have had similar losses, or listening to podcasts or audiobooks on what has helped people grieve. It is crucial to remember that people grieve in different ways. It can be helpful to hear how others do it, but is important to not expect any two people to do it the same way.Also, remembering a loved one and moments shared is okay, but living in the past is not. So, making sure clients are walking that line of reminiscing without living in the past and are taking steps to move forward. Moving forward does not involve forgetting their loved one, but does need to involve finding ways to engage in the present.

To prepare for their first grief & loss counseling session, an individual can take a beat to consider what they may need for themselves within the counseling experience. Relatedly, the person can consider the words or images that can communicate to a mental health provider what they may need as a client. Also, the individual can work to understand that the pain will not go away quickly and in some cases may never go away completely, but improvement can happen. And again, improvement does not mean forgetting a loved one.