“Bereavement is a darkness impenetrable to the imagination of the unbereaved.”
Iris Murdoch
What is bereavement?
Most people will experience bereavement at some point in their lives, and in all likelihood, might experience it at several points. Bereavement is mostly associated with how you might feel after losing a loved one through death. Or the death of a pet.
However, you may feel bereaved after the breakdown of a relationship, the loss of a job, the diagnosis of a chronic health problem, personal injury, redundancy and retirement, children leaving home, a miscarriage or abortion, moving to a different location and so on.
The journey through grief used to be thought of as a series of stages but this view is no longer so prevalent. Just as we are all unique individuals, so we all grieve in or own way.
However, some of the common reactions which you might experience following a loss include shock and denial, depression, anger, guilt and so on. Because your emotions seem as though they are all over the place, you might feel as though you are losing your mind or on some sort of emotional roller coaster. The end point is acceptance of the loss and being able to move on with your life.
Grieving after a death may become more complicated if you have suffered depression before, if the death was a traumatic one, or if you had a difficult relationship with the dead person.
How can bereavement counselling help you?
- Support to feel and explore your feelings in a safe place
- Reassurance that what you are experiencing is normal
- An opportunity to process your thoughts and feelings at your own pace
- Discovery of your own coping resources
- Preparing for anniversaries and other important dates
- Help towards accepting the loss and reinvesting in your life
- Planning how to remember and commemorate your loved one.
I volunteered as a Counsellor at Cruse Bereavement Care in Glasgow from 2003 to 2008. So I have worked with quite a few clients who have been bereaved.
If you are struggling with grief and loss, and feel you would benefit from Bereavement Counselling, don’t hesitate to call me today on 07970 860 711
