Bereavement and Grief Counseling – Therapists in Pflugerville, TX
Death of a loved one can turn people’s world upside down in a moment. One minute, all is right with the world. The next minute, life seems impossible. Pain often overwhelms people, and intense emotions can arise in the aftermath of a loved one’s death. As people mourn, they may have trouble understanding and communicating their varied and complex feelings to family and friends, leaving them to feel alone in their pain.
Andrew knows all too well. He lost his daughter to a terrible accident. One day, he and his daughter went out for ice cream. The next day, she was gone. Of course, friends and family have tried to be supportive, but Andrew is even having trouble connecting with his wife. He feels like no one understands and nothing can make life better.
Andrew is going through intense grief—a normal reaction to loss. Quite often, the loss can be the death of a loved one, but people can also experience grief after any kind of loss. Because loss is a normal part of life, most people have or will experience grief.
Grief is often overwhelming and complex. Many people seek therapy to help them cope with bereavement and the grief it brings.
Thriveworks Pflugerville, TX’s grief counselors have helped many clients process their grief and rebuild after loss. Again and again, people have found that a Thriveworks Pflugerville grief counselor was the compassionate support they needed during one of life’s darkest times.
Grief and Its Causes
Loss of anyone or anything that is loved can trigger grief. Because loss is a universal human experience, so is grief. A list cannot hold all the reasons people may experience grief. Just some of the circumstances that have led people to seek grief counseling at Thriveworks Pflugerville, TX include …
- Becoming an empty-nester
- Chronic pain
- Death of a precious pet
- Divorce or break-up
- Job or career change
- A temporary or permanent disability
- Moving
- Death of a friend, family member, or other loved one
- Loss of independence (especially with age)
- A natural disaster
Loss and Grief Myths
There are many myths and misunderstandings about loss and grief, and unfortunately, well-meaning friends and families can pass these unhelpful ideas onto bereaved loved ones. For anyone suffering through a loss, these myths may be deeply hurtful.
1) “Times heals all wounds.”
It is true that people need time to heal, but time alone cannot cure deep wounds. The loss needs to be processed. Denying or minimizing the loss might be easier, but finding support and actively working on the grief is usually a better strategy in the long-run.
2) “After all this time, you shouldn’t still be feeling sadness.”
Sometimes, people put a timeline on other people’s grief. But everyone heals at their own pace. Some people work through loss in a few months. Others take a year or more. For some, accepting a deep loss is something they have to choose every day.
3) “Maybe you should just move on.”
Nobody can “just move on” after a significant loss. There is no way around grief, only through it. Often, people need the help of a grief therapist to know how to process their grief fully.
Counseling for Grief
Misunderstandings and myths about grief are everywhere, but what is helpful when working through grief?
Grief counseling usually has two goals: understanding and acceptance.
- Understanding the loss: Grief is rarely a single feeling of sadness. Often, it is a complex web of emotions—sadness, anger, relief, confusion, regret, and more. Before people can think about their future, they often have to take time to think about their past, especially the circumstances of the loss. Many people find healing in being able to understand what they are feeling about the loss and why they are experiencing those particular emotions.
- Accepting the future: Once people process their emotions about the loss, they are often ready to think about the future and accept their new reality. Accepting the future may mean making space for new relationships or new routines. Hopefully, accepting the future also means finding new happiness and new meaning.
There are no silver bullets for processing grief, but many people find that the work they do in grief therapy is well worth their time and effort. Thriveworks Pflugerville clients are often glad they have an experienced counselor to guide them through the process.
Making an Appointment for Grief Therapy
Do you want support and guidance as you mourn a loss in your life? Reaching out for help is an important step toward healing for many people. The grief counselors at Thriveworks Pflugerville, TX have appointments available. We have done our best to make scheduling your appointment for grief therapy as easy as possible.
- We often schedule appointments for new clients within a day of their call.
- We offer weekend and evening appointments.
- We do not keep waitlists.
- We also accept most insurance providers
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Ready to get started? So are we. Call Thriveworks Pflugerville, TX.
