Experiencing an intense period of grief can be considered “normal”. While the pain may never completely dissipate, you may find that you are able to accept your loss and begin to move forward with time. If your grief seems to be getting worse or it has become the focal point of your life, it may be time to do something about it. Therapy can help.

Grieving is Personal

It is really hard to say when you “should” be recovering from your grief because it is a subjective and highly individual experience. When you move through grief can be impacted by several factors including your support system, personal beliefs, experiences with loss in the past, health etc.

Everyone experiences grief differently, processing their loss in their own unique way. For instance, crying can help you release your pent-up emotions, but that doesn’t mean that another person who does not cry is not experiencing the same level of grief. Ignoring your feelings can be detrimental, though it isn’t always easy to share what you are going through. Counseling can be a safe place to open up and begin to process your loss.

Knowing When to Consult a Therapist

After a tragic or painful loss you can often expect to feel sadness, shock, even anger. The more significant the loss, the more powerful the emotions can be. It may be time to seek counseling if these feelings become intense or intrusive, impacting the way you function in your daily life. If you observe that your symptoms are getting worse, it may be beneficial to seek help before these emotions become too overwhelming. Grief can lead to other symptoms such as guilt, fear, anger and other physical symptoms, early intervention is often best.

How Can Therapy Help?

Grieving is a natural response to loss. Accept the fact that you need to grieve; maybe you need to cry or be angry to move through your grief. Grief left unaddressed can lead to more serious conditions such as depression or anxiety. Seeing a therapist when grief is preventing you from moving forward, or from functioning in your everyday life can be incredibly helpful.

At Carolina Counseling Services – Fayetteville, NC, we contract with therapists who can be there for you through your grief and help you to move forward. The pain you feel after losing something or someone important to you may never fully go away. Rather, we will help you resolve your grief by transforming it into something you can live with, so you can get back to enjoying your life and looking forward to the days ahead. Call today to schedule your first appointment.

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