Grief and Loss Counseling in State College, PA — Grief Counselors and Therapists
Loss can turn people’s worlds upside down in just an instant. One minute everything is fine, the next you feel like you’re floating in a pit of darkness. Andrew and his wife Maddie know all about this feeling. Maddie was working a great job, had awesome co-workers, and was finally settling into her career when she was unexpectedly let go because of budget cuts. Meanwhile, Andrew’s grandfather who has been battling Alzheimer’s passed away. This is the first death he has experienced and is taking it really hard. While the loss Andrew is experiencing is different than Maddie’s, they are both feeling overwhelmed with sadness.
Grief is like the ocean; it comes on waves ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim.” – Vicki Harrison
Many people seek therapy to help them cope with the loss they are experiencing. Thriveworks State College Counseling’s grief counselors have helped many clients work through their emotions and rebuild after a major loss, and they can help you too. If you are trying to navigate through feelings of grief and feel like you could benefit from working with a counselor, consider reaching out to our office. To get started, just give us a call.
Grief and Its Many Causes
As we briefly mentioned before, loss comes in all shapes and sizes and isn’t exclusive to death. Grief is a universal experience and the reasons why we experience it are unique to us. Here are some of the reasons that have led people to seek the help of a grief therapist at Thriveworks State College, PA:
- Death of a friend, family member, or other loved one
- A natural disaster and the effects of it
- Loss of a beloved pet
- Moving
- Loss of independence
- Chronic pain
- Becoming an empty nester
- Divorce or a break-up
- Job or career change
- A temporary or permanent disability
- Illness
- Retiring and other career changes
The loss you are going through might not be on this list, and that’s okay. Whatever your situation may be, our grief counselors can help you work through your emotions.
About Grief Counseling
Grieving is natural, but sometimes it can get out of control. There are five common stages of grief and how fast or intense you experience each stage varies from person to person. Here are the five stages and what may be going through your mind during each of them:
- Denial: This can’t be happening, there’s no way this could happen.
- Anger: I can’t believe she let this happen to herself. I hate that company and everyone who still works there.
- Bargaining: If only I had worked a little harder, they might not have let me go. Maybe if she had gone to the doctors sooner, she wouldn’t have left us.
- Depression: There’s no reason why I should care anymore. I just want to be by myself.
- Acceptance: That was really hard for me to cope with, but I understand why it happened.
There’s nothing wrong with getting angry with your situation or thinking about all of the, “What if’s?” It’s when you get stuck in one of the stages of grief does it become a problem. Getting to acceptance is crucial for feeling at ease and happy once again. You aren’t meant to be upset forever. While it still may be hard when feelings arise in the future, you want to be strong enough to accept them and move on. That’s why grief counseling can be so beneficial.
When you start working with a grief counselor, they will help you understand the emotions you are feeling and work with you to overcome them. Grief therapists will use a variety of methods and techniques to do so, such as exercise therapy, talk therapy, art and music therapy, adaptations, developing new relationships or rekindling old ones, and managing changes in behavior. These are just a few of the examples of what may occur during your therapy session. Thriveworks State College Counseling understands that your situation is unique, and they will do everything they can to meet your needs.
Get the Help You Need through Grief Counseling at Thriveworks State College, PA
Experiencing a loss can be devastating and isolating. However, it’s more important than ever to be surrounded by people who care about you and understand how you’re feeling. If you feel like you could benefit from a little extra guidance during your grieving process, consider working with one of our psychologists at Thriveworks State College, PA.
We have flexible scheduling options and can often get our first-time clients in with their counselor within 24 hours of their initial call. Daytime, evening, and weekend appointments are all available to meet the needs of your schedule. To get started, give our office a call to be connected with a scheduling specialist or visit our online booking system. We’re here for you when you are ready (814) 308-5043.
