Grief
Although death will affect each and every one of us, losing loved ones is difficult and frequently painful. Grief is difficult to talk about in our society.
Sometimes you are scared that if you stop grieving others might feel you are disloyal, or your grief is not good enough. Grief can be conflicting and demands your time. You are expected to pay attention to the memory of the deceased but continue to live life. You are to grieve the loss but think about future possibilities. You might feel guilty that you are happy even for a moment.
Grief can affect every area of life and wellbeing (spiritual, physical, emotional, behavioral and mental). You might notice low energy, eating and sleep problems.
You might notice difficulty focusing or concentrating. You might become forgetful poor concentration, and constantly relive the details of the death.
Anxiety, loneliness, feelings of helplessness and hopelessness and guilt do occur.
Grief reactions might include withdrawal from social interactions, poor self-care, increased risk-taking. You might question your spiritual practice or beliefs.
Remember grief often runs its course and you cope and continue with the business of life. Sometimes for several reasons including sudden unexpected deaths, violence related deaths, multiple deaths grief might become complicated and/or prolonged.
Loss
Grief is not always about death. Non-death losses can be intensely grieved. Nobody died but somethings are dead to you, yet you might not be able to express your grief or you feel invalidated.
- Chronic illness has changed how you thought you would live your life
- Loss of body part (leg, arm) or one of the senses (vision, hearing etc)
- Loss of homeland
- Loss of cultural identity
- Loss of a sense of who you are
- Loss of partner through divorce
- Loss of mobility
- Infertility
- Loss of hopes and dreams
Can Therapy Help?
When grief and loss make it difficult for you to live your everyday life. When you can’t stop crying and longing for the deceased or the loss, it is suggested that you see a therapist.
Sometimes it’s not about accepting the loss, it’s about creating an identity that’s uniquely yours as you cope with the loss. In therapy, you are heard, accepted, validated and encouraged.
We help adults build hope. They are able to connect with others, sleep better and continue with life following grief and loss.
We are familiar with grief and loss personally and professionally and will be present with you through the process.
We are Mental Health Therapists in Omaha, Nebraska where we assist adults create healthier, happier lives and nurturing relationships. We serve Bellevue, Ralston, LaVista and other surrounding Omaha and Council Bluffs areas.