Loss & Bereavement Therapy Essex

When we think of loss and bereavement, our minds naturally go to the loss of a loved one. The passing of family, friends or pets is one of the main causes of grief, as you may struggle to come to terms with someone no longer being around, or feel guilty about events you wish could have gone differently.

But, there are other forms of loss that can produce similar feelings, such as:

• The end of a relationship
• Losing or changing your job
• Moving away from home
• Leaving school or university
• A family member or close friend moving away
• A decline in a loved one’s physical or mental health
• Losing a physical ability you once had
• Losing your financial security

There is no wrong way to feel about loss. Some will be barely affected by these experiences, while others may take months or even years to recover. Even what many may consider a small loss can create the most intense grief.

Grief is a complex but completely natural reaction to a loss, which often manifests itself as emotional pain and sadness. It is both a universal and deeply personal experience, and everyone’s grief journey is different.

There is no right or wrong way to handle the mourning process. Some will work through their grief in a few days or weeks. Others will carry their grief for a lot longer. With this in mind, it’s important to remember:

• Grief is a normal, natural experience that everyone goes through
• Grief is a journey and process, and it takes time to navigate
• Grief can be scary and lead to depressing thoughts
• It’s fine to both grieve and live – you don’t have to feel guilty if you aren’t always thinking about a person who has died

While everyone’s experience of grief is unique, there are commonalities, often known as “the 5 stages of grief”:

These stages may not all apply to you, and you may not experience them in the exact order listed above. You may also spend more time in one stage compared to the others.

Complicated grief, also know as prolonged grief disorder, is when a person’s grief and the emotions surrounding it last for 6 months or longer.

For most people, grief becomes less intense as time moves on from their loss. For others, these feelings can remain for months or years, and have a prolonged impact on their physical and mental wellbeing. This is more likely to happen when their loss was very tragic, traumatic or unexpected.

If grief is having a long-term effect on your mental health, we are here for you. Our free bereavement help and support allows you to be open about how you feel, and teaches you techniques and coping skills for your emotional healing and overall recovery.

Whether you would prefer group therapy with people who feel similarly to you, or individual therapy by our NHS professionals – our flexible grief treatments help you towards a happier, healthier future.

While grief affects everybody differently, there are common symptoms that indicate your grief has become complicated. Here are some key signs that you may need help with your grief management:

• You have felt intense sadness or pain for several months or more
• You feel guilty about how you feel, or about something you did or didn’t do
• You feel numb, in shock or in denial
• You spend a lot of time thinking about your loss
• You struggle to think back on positive experiences
• You have found it hard to accept the loss, or feel bitter/angry about it
• You have struggled to return to your everyday activities and routine
• You have been withdrawn from social contact, or feel intensely lonely
• You feel tired a lot, or have had trouble sleeping
• You are frequently triggered or reminded about your loss
• Your eating habits have changed – either eating too little or comfort eating
• You have felt increasingly anxious
• You have questioned the purpose of life, or experienced suicidal thoughts

These are all common reactions to grief, but when they persist for months or even years, it can cause significant changes to your daily life, relationships and overall mood.

If you have experienced one or more of the above symptoms, starting grief therapy can help you to better manage your sense of loss and move on in a healthier, more positive way.

If you have felt severely depressed or suicidal following a loss or bereavement, visit our crisis page for immediate support.

Everyone processes grief at a different pace. There is nothing wrong with taking longer than someone else to learn to live after losing a loved one, a relationship or a long-term job.

Bereavement counselling or therapy is not designed to help you deal with your grief faster – it is designed to make this often difficult journey more manageable if it is taking you longer to come to terms with what happened.

While it is impossible to change what’s happened or remove feelings of loss and grief completely, you can learn techniques that help you better process these changes.

That is the goal of loss and bereavement therapy. Alongside a qualified therapist, this helps you understand the reasons behind your prolonged grief, and provides coping techniques to better manage your thoughts, emotions and behaviours following a bereavement or significant loss.

At Therapy For You, you can access our free loss and bereavement therapy services in Essex in several ways:

• One-to-one, in-person sessions
• Bereavement group therapy
• ieso typed therapy
• Phone therapy services
• Video call therapy

Alternatively, you can start treatment right now with our free online CBT sessions on bereavement. Written and delivered by NHS therapists, this course guides you step-by-step on coming to terms with your feelings, and teaches powerful coping skills on your journey to grief recovery.

We provide a number of therapies that are proven to be effective in supporting someone’s grief and mental health overall, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and counselling.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) teaches you techniques to challenge your negative thoughts and change unhelpful behaviours, with the goal of improving how you feel. This approach can help break negative patterns you have developed in the aftermath of your loss or bereavement, and support your path to long-term recovery.

Bereavement counselling involves sharing your thoughts and feelings about your grief with a trained counsellor in a confidential, safe space. They will help you make sense of your situation, guide you through your various stages of grief, and advise you on tools and techniques that can help you feel better in the moment.

Loss and bereavement therapy can be beneficial for anyone who is struggling with their emotions following a loss, whether it was a recent event or something that has been hanging over you for some time.

We would especially recommend therapy if any of the following relate to you:

• You have been struggling with your feelings of grief for more than 6 months
• You feel you haven’t adequately processed your feelings toward your loss
• Your loss has greatly altered your daily life and habits
• You do not have support networks in place to discuss your feelings
• You are ready to move on from your loss, but feel guilty about doing so
• You want to find healthier, less painful ways to remember your loved one or previous situation

There is no one-size-fits-all treatment plan following a loss or bereavement. Some will begin to feel better after only a few sessions; others will only see progress after a number of weeks or months.

During your initial assessment, we will ask questions about your feelings and situation, which will help us estimate how long your treatment will be. Then, every week, you will work collaboratively with your therapist to assess your progress and determine the next steps on your path to feeling better.

Yes. Our loss and bereavement therapy is designed to support those with complicated or long-standing grief that is impacting their life.

Yes. If you are struggling with anticipatory grief, or are finding it hard to come to terms with a loved one’s declining health or a terminal illness, therapy can help you manage these emotions in a healthier, more positive way prior to your loss.

Beyond therapy, there are a number of activities and exercises following a loss or bereavement that can help you grieve.

The most important of these is to take your time. As mentioned above, everybody processes a loss or bereavement differently. Putting pressure on yourself to “move on” can often make your grieving process even more painful or difficult than it needs to be.

By taking each day at a time, you can see gradual improvements in your mood. Here are some further self-help ideas to help you process a loss:

• Learn what triggers your grief
• Keep a box of happy memories
• Find ways to mark or celebrate the date of your loss
• Talk to someone you trust
• Join a support group
• Get regular, quality sleep
• Eat a balanced diet

In addition, you may want to set aside dedicated “grief time” during the day, which can help you feel more in control of your emotions as you process this change. At this time, you may want to:

• Sit quietly and think about your loss
• Talk to your lost loved one
• Play music or films that remind you of them
• Write them a letter
• Add to a memory book or journal
• Allow yourself to cry and be vulnerable

These self-help approaches, in addition to seeking professional help and support, can go a long way to managing your grief in a more positive, reassuring way.

Dealing with a significant loss of any kind, from the death of a loved one to the end of a serious relationship, can be incredibly hard to overcome. If you are finding it difficult to cope with your grief, or a bereavement has caused a noticeable change in your lifestyle or emotional wellbeing, we are here for you.

As your local provider of NHS Talking Therapies for North East and South East Essex, let us help you understand the emotions surrounding your grief, and give you meaningful techniques and exercises to reduce the hold it has on your life and your health.

From face-to-face and in-person group therapy sessions, to Omni Online CBT courses and remote typed therapy. Our flexible approach ensures you find the right path to recovery, so you can maintain a healthier, safer relationship with grief.

Start your journey to feeling better today – get in touch with our team to find out more, or start now with our free online bereavement course.