Grief is a part of the human condition. Not one of us will escape this lifetime without experiencing grief.
Most people may think of grief as the death of a loved one. However, it is so much more than that.
Bereavement is the experience in which we process a range of emotions we go through when we experience a loss. As human beings we experience grief in many forms. Some examples may be the loss of a job, the dissolution of a relationship, the loss of a home, the transition into a new stage of our lives.
Our experience of grief is individual, personal, and complex. Not everyone experiences grief in the same way. There is no wrong way to experience or express grief.
Exploring grief in a therapeutic setting does not have to mean that the loss has recently occurerd. Grief is a process that encompasses life situations that may have occurred at an earlier time in our life.
One common misconception about grief is that there is a timeline for grieving. Maybe you have been told to “get over it” or “move past it.” These statements can be harmful and hurtful.
With therapy, we can process loss and grief. Through therapy we may be able to move into a space where we can accept the complex emotions that come with the grieving process. Through therapy we may be able to integrate our loss as part of our personal experience and embrace how this process has transformed us.
