Grief & Loss Therapy
Grief occurs when an individual, or group experience a substantial loss, most commonly the death of a loved one. The death of a loved one is not the only experience that can cause grief. Grief occurs when people experience any substantial loss, such as relationship break up, loss of a job, death of a pet, loss of financial stability, retirement and leaving home.
Going through these situations can be quite stressful and can cause a range of negative emotions. Common emotions felt are deep sadness, anger, sadness, guilt, disbelief and yearning for things to go back the way they were before the loss – collectively these emotions can create emotional turmoil.
This emotional turmoil can often lead to physical symptoms, such as fatigue, headaches, insomnia and nausea, which impact an individual’s ability to function normally.
Prolonged/Complicated Grief
Prolonged Grief (PG) is grief that continues to be intense and pervasive, disrupting everyday life for longer than a year. Complicated grief may be considered when the intensity of grief has not decreased in the months after your loved one’s death. People experiencing PG often describe it as feeling “stuck” in grief or “frozen in time” as if the death had just happened. Grief dominates their thoughts and feelings, making it difficult to think about or concentrate on anything else. The future seems bleak and empty. They feel lost and alone. Sometimes many years have gone by and the grief from a significant loss is still unresolved. This unresolved grief may not be obvious to others, but the grieving person might still feel that the loss is impacting their lives – it might be stopping you from forming new relationships, or making you feel overwhelmed with sadness. In these situations, it is important to seek professional help in the form of counselling with a grief or bereavement counsellor.
If you have complicated/prolonged grief, you may have:
- Preoccupation with the deceased or circumstances of the death
- Persistent yearning or longing for the deceased
- Difficulty making sense of the loss
- Misinterpretation of aspects of the loss (e.g. excessive self-blame)
- Avoidance of reminders of the loss
- Feeling that life is meaningless without the deceased
- Prolonged experience of grief, e.g. for more than one year
Prolonged Grief Treatment (PGT)
A short-term approach called Prolonged Grief Treatment (PGT) has been effective with 2 out of 3 people, and is more effective than other treatments for complicated grief, and is therefore the treatment of choice for complicated grief. PGT seeks to identify and resolve complications of grief and to facilitate adaptation to the loss. The treatment includes two key areas: restoring effective functioning by generating enthusiasm and creating plans for the future and helping patients find a new way to think about the death that does not evoke intense feelings of anger, guilt, or anxiety.
Research suggests that interventions that include strategies to reduce avoidance of thoughts about the death and avoidance of activities and places that are reminders of the loss are more effective than those that do not.
Grief and Loss Counselling | Pet Grief Therapy & Counselling
We are trained in Prolonged Grief Treatment. We are also at Sehat Psychology, Beck Institute CBT Certified Clinicians that demonstrate our expertise in the most evidence-based psychotherapy treatment for grief and loss. You can contact us on (08) 7079 9529 or email admin@sehatpsychology.com.au to book an appointment (telehealth or face to face) with our grief and loss psychologist.
Adelaide Psychologists & Therapists | Grief and Loss Psychologists & Therapists
Our treatment team of therapists stands out as being expert in the field of Prolonged Grief Treatment (PGT), a proven and effective approach for treating prolonged/complicated grief. With extensive experience and a deep understanding of the complexities of your grief, our clinic is committed to guiding you through your journey to emotional well-being.