Throughout the course of our years, we all experience a loss at some point in our lives. In fact, statistics show that 1 in 5 children will experience the death of someone close to them before 18 years of age. In addition, feelings of grief and loss may be associated with other events, including the ending of a relationship or job, divorce, miscarriage, or the loss of a pet.
Feelings of grief can be overbearing and can leave a person feeling sad, hopeless, isolated, irritable, and numb. It frequently impacts one's mental and physical health, resulting in changes to appetite, sleep, and concentration. It’s important to understand that healing from grief is a process and that individuals do not proceed in a linear fashion through these five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. People often move back and forth among the stages and the timeline to fully process one's grief can vary widely.
Psychotherapy can assist individuals who are grieving through the following interventions:
- Improve coping skills
- Reduce feelings of blame and guilt
- Explore and process emotions
Consider seeking professional support if feelings of grief do not ease over time.