What Do You Talk About in Grief Counseling?

The loss of a loved one can be one of the hardest times in a person’s life, and nothing can prepare you for the grief you feel. You do not have to endure it alone, though – a grief counselor is here for you.

Grief counseling is a type of therapy that is specifically designed to help people deal with the life-altering event of losing someone close to you. Let’s discuss how grief counseling works, what you talk about in grief counseling sessions, and where you can go in Atlanta and Alpharetta to see a caring grief counselor who can truly help you through this difficult time.

What Is Grief Counseling?

Grief counseling is a focused kind of talk therapy, or psychotherapy, that can help you deal with the sadness and grief you are feeling after the death of a loved one. These feelings can be very intense and disruptive to your daily life, and they can even cause a feeling of numbness and unusual perceptions of reality.

Counseling also targets conditions that can occur alongside grief, such as depression and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). These are common especially if the loved one’s death was sudden or unexpected.

During a grief counseling session, your therapist will harness different types of talk therapy to address your grief and other feelings. For instance, they may use dialectical behavioral therapy, which is a type of psychotherapy that aims to reduce the intensity of strong emotions by using mindfulness and acceptance. In addition, they may use cognitive behavioral therapy to address depression you may be feeling.

What Should You Expect During Grief Counseling?

In a grief counseling session, your therapist will talk with you about the person who died. The counselor will lead you through how you can feel, process, and move on from your grief so that your memories of your loved one can be positive ones, surrounding their life, rather than negative ones about the death itself.

Specifically, topics you may talk about during grief counseling may include but are not limited to:

• Specific feelings you are experiencing, which are common and normal, including:
  • Guilt and blame
  • Sadness
  • Anger
• Coping skills to process these emotions
• How your daily life and routines may be different now that your loved one is gone
• Conversations that you would have with your loved one if they were still here
• Identifying possible triggers of grief, such as birthdays, anniversaries, etc. that you used to celebrate with your loved one, and coming up with strategies to lessen that grief in the future

Grief Counseling in Alpharetta and Atlanta

Grief counseling can be incredibly helpful when dealing with the loss of a loved one, because it helps you develop strategies to accept and move on from constant feelings of grief and hopelessness. You can learn how to return to living your life happily, in a way your loved one would have wanted.

Here at Atlanta Specialized Care, we have licensed professional counselors, social workers, and an advanced practice psychiatric nurse practitioner who are all ready to help you through your grieving process. To arrange an appointment with us, call us today at (678) 679-6959 or request an appointment here.

If you are dealing with the loss of a loved one, you are not alone. Reach out for help with the grieving process by scheduling an appointment at Atlanta Specialized Care today.