Grief Counselling in Halifax, Nova ScotiaStruggling with grief in the Halifax area? Help is available in Nova Scotia.
Psychologists can help after the death of a loved one. Unlike many other emotional difficulties, grief is something sooner or later, almost everyone experiences. |
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Although it is impossible to adequately describe grief in a single sentence (or even a single book), it may be helpful to view it as the experience of intense emotional pain, heartbreak, and anguish resulting from death, divorce, or other personal losses.
Grief is painful, can be very difficult to cope with, but it is also normal and can be quite healthy. However, if someone gets "stuck" in the grieving process, grief counselling or therapy can be very helpful with rebuilding after the death of a loved one.
The pain does not need to last forever.
Grief is painful, can be very difficult to cope with, but it is also normal and can be quite healthy. However, if someone gets "stuck" in the grieving process, grief counselling or therapy can be very helpful with rebuilding after the death of a loved one.
The pain does not need to last forever.
Can we ever be fully prepared for death?
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As a culture, we really do not have a lot of experience dealing with grief. It is not something we talk about much with our families (unless forced to) and it unlikely that anyone has ever taught you what to do when you lose someone close and the foundation you have depended on crumbles. It sometimes seems as though society has little time for pain and little patience for those who take a bit longer to collect the pieces of their lives after the death of a loved one. Dealing with grief is not about how quickly you can “get over it”, but rather, how you rebuild your life while still remembering and cherishing the memories of the person you have lost. |
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Although the subject of death is obviously important when dealing with the loss of a loved one, grieving is also about living…and about beginning again. When we lose someone, in some ways we need to start all over again. We learn how to take small steps. We learn how to reconnect with those around us. We learn how to dream different dreams while still honouring the life that was lost.
Healthy grieving is more about remembering the past and creating new experiences than about forgetting the person who is no longer with us.
Healthy grieving is more about remembering the past and creating new experiences than about forgetting the person who is no longer with us.
How does grief counselling work?
Compared to therapy for many other psychological difficulties (e.g., depression, anxiety, anger management, assertiveness), there is no widely accepted approach to ease the pain of losing someone you care about.
What is my approach? How do I try to help those who are dealing with the death of a loved one?
When I work with individuals who cannot seem to overcome their grief I...
● Will not tell you that I know how you feel. No one knows exactly how you feel - only you know this. At best I can only recall how I felt when experiencing similar losses.
● Will not view your problems as unnatural or abnormal. Grief is a normal reaction to loss. Grieving is healthy and it is a necessary process before rebuilding your life.
● Will not tell you to "cheer up and look at the bright side of things". As you have probably already experienced, such comments are seldom helpful.
● Will not tell you that "time heals all wounds". I do not believe this is true. Time alone does not heal. However, what you do with that time can help the healing.
● Will try to help you once again enjoy the many positive memories you have for the person and integrate these memories into new experiences Just because the person is gone does not mean that can no longer be a part of your experience.
● Will help you deal with any feelings of shame, regret, guilt, or remorse which may be lingering (often as a result of things you believe you should have said or done while the person was still with you).
● Will try to help you find new meaning in your life while still remembering the person you lost.
How can I start grief counselling in Halifax?
If you would like to receive help for grief (and live in the areas of Halifax, Bedford, Dartmouth or anywhere in Nova Scotia) please read more about therapy and counselling, my treatment approach, and feel free to contact me if you have any questions at all, or if you would like to set up an initial consultation.
Thanks :)
