Bereavement Counselling
Bereavement can be one of the most stressful, painful and pivotal events in life. How a person copes with bereavement is as unique as they are.
For a brief explanation of bereavement, we break it into two parts. Firstly there is the bereavement stage and then the usual grieving process follows this. The progression from bereavement to grieving might be very different depending on the individual and the circumstances around the loss. Both stages are a natural response to loss and – although very painful and sad for some, can be a relief for others and even, dare I say, a happy time, however it is something that we all go through. Bereavement counselling can help you make sense of your loss and support you through these stages of grief.
Of course, loss is uniquely personal. Whilst it is true to say that almost all loss is painful, there are certain circumstances that are extremely difficult, some bereavements, by their nature, are very painful and hard to make sense of and this is complex grief.
Suicide, this has a huge impact on the family and others who are left behind to mourn. It may bring up many un-answered questions for the bereaved and an overwhelming emotional strain. Feelings of anger, guilt, blame may also occur.
Traumatic Loss, when we lose someone in traumatic circumstances such as a car crash, an accident or in a violent situation, it can leave those left behind with many different emotions. The events around the death may be unclear, confused and maybe quite random, leaving those left to deal with the loss with a sense of powerlessness.
Losing a child goes against our belief that, as parents, we are not supposed to out live our children and the sense of guilt can be overwhelming. Questions like how we can go on, or even why should we can be over powering. The sense of loss and the space left may feel impossible to heal.
It is also possible that we may feel a sense of relief at the persons death, which may have been due to a prolonged and or painful illness. We may also feel ‘happy’, which may be due to they type of relationship we had with them. This can be enormously difficult to deal with, especially when other people feel differently or are expecting you to feel ‘sad’.
At Davenport Counselling we work with individuals who for one reason or another have become stuck within the bereavement of their loss. If you find yourself in this situation, please call us for an appointment, we’re here to help.