Grief & Bereavement

Grief is the intense experience that we all go through in the tragic event of losing somebody we know. There is no right or wrong way to experience it and there is no specific time set on how long it should go for – everyone has their own individual process and this is normal. However, sometimes it has can have an effect that is much more severe, or lasts for much longer than what would be expected, and it becomes extremely difficult to cope on your own.

Some of the effects of a persistent and extremely distressing period of grief can include:

• Intense sorrow and emotional pain
• Losing enjoyment from most aspects of your life
• Experiencing a long-lasting negative impact on your work or school performance
• Struggling to find or accept any social support

Although these are all a normal part of the grieving process, you should not have to feel as if you are not coping and that the feeling will never go away. Seeking help from a psychologist can help you to work through these emotions and feelings at your own pace.

Our psychologists are highly experienced in working with someone through the process of grief, and in providing some relief through:

• Allowing you to let out any thoughts, feelings and emotions associated with the loss
• Enable you to tell your story and reflect on your relationship with that person
• Attempt to make sense of what has happened and gradually learn to accept the situation
• Educating you on other’s grief experiences to help normalise the emotions and responses you may have been experiencing
• Help to build back up your life and increase the number of positive experiences, activities and relationships you have