Grief is a profound emotion that arises in response to loss. People experience and express grief in a myriad of ways, which are shaped heavily by their culture, background, experiences, beliefs, and temperament. Finding a healthy resolution for dealing with loss is an important step towards healing.
Who needs Grief Counselling?
Grief counselling is important for individuals who feel overcome by their loss; that is, they feel overwhelmed by their regular responsibilities and find it difficult to cope with the change they have experienced. It can also be important for people who do not get the time to properly process their emotions after a loss, due to concurrent or increased responsibilities brought about by the change.
It is a common misconception that grieving is only necessary for individuals who have suffered a bereavement. Healthy grief management is equally as important for people undergoing other forms of life-altering change, separation or loss, such the loss of a job, home, or relationship.
Counsellors trained in grief management can help individuals work through the stages of grief and impart tools and techniques to deal with the associated mental stresses of loss. They can help individuals find meaning and move towards healing by working through their grief. Grief counselling can help with the following:
expressing and talking through the emotions you are experiencing;
coping with the changes that result from your loss; and
accepting your loss and learning to move forward.
Unresolved, grief can lead to feelings of anxiety, depression, and listlessness. If grief is not given a healthy avenue of expression and resolution, it can result in detrimental habits such as self-blame or reliance on unhealthy coping strategies such as alcohol dependence. Working with a counsellor to manage grief can greatly improve a person’s quality of life and bring new meaning to life after loss.
Signs that You or Someone Needs Grief Counselling
Process Redesign
Review and streamline of workflow and processes to reduce or eliminate redundant processes:
1. Explore the use of technology to automate processes
2. Review and/or development of performance measures
3. Development of tracking and measurement system
4. Development of detailed roadmap of actions for further improvement