Grief Counselling
in Ontario
Types of Loss
Here are some common types of loss.
-
Death of Someone Significant
-
Loss of Safety
-
Divorce or Loss of a Relationship
-
Loss of Childhood or Innocence
-
Job Loss or Loss of Financial Security
-
Loss of Health
-
Loss of a Dream or Goal
-
Loss of Friendship
-
Loss of Home
-
Loss of Identity
-
Loss of Reproductive Potential
-
Loss of a Pet
-
Loss of Community Due to Marginalization
-
Loss of Independence
-
Loss of a Cultural or Religious Belief
-
Loss of a Skill or Ability
-
Loss of Time
-
Loss of a Family Member
-
Loss of Traditional Practices or Cultural Heritage
-
Loss of Trust
Types of Grief
Here are some common types of grief.
-
Normal Grief: Expected response to a loss with various emotions like sadness and acceptance.
-
Anticipatory Grief: Grief that precedes an actual loss, often due to a terminal illness.
-
Complicated Grief: Severe and prolonged form of grief marked by distress, often impairing daily functioning.
-
Disenfranchised Grief: Grief not openly acknowledged by society, like the loss of a pet.
-
Cumulative Grief: Resulting from multiple losses in a short time, becoming overwhelming.
-
Secondary Grief: Experienced by those indirectly affected by a loss, like friends or family.
-
Collective or Societal Grief: Felt by a community or society after a widespread tragedy.
-
Ambiguous Grief: Arises from unclear or undefined losses, such as when someone significant goes missing.
-
Traumatic Grief: Triggered by sudden, violent, or unexpected loss, often with post-traumatic stress symptoms.
Common Symptoms of Grief
-
Fatigue or low energy levels
-
Nightmares, insomnia, or excessive sleeping
-
Changes in appetite, including overeating or loss of appetite
-
Headaches, muscle aches, or digestive issues
-
Weakened immune system
-
Withdrawal from social activities or isolation
-
Change in communication patterns, such as avoidance
-
Confusion or difficulty concentrating
-
Increased irritability or anger
-
Heightened anxiety or worry
-
Intrusive thoughts or memories related to the loss
-
Reduced self-esteem or self-worth
-
Intense sadness, grief, or despair
-
Overwhelming feelings of guilt, regret, or anger
-
Periods of numbness or feeling emotionally detached
-
Waves of intense, unpredictable emotions
-
Crying spells or tearfulness
-
A sense of existential crisis or questioning one’s beliefs
-
Feelings of abandonment by a higher power
Benefits of Grief Counselling
-
Grief therapy provides a safe space for you to openly express and process your emotions.
-
It helps you build the courage to face discomfort and navigate challenging situations.
-
It assists in clarifying your values, allowing you to align your actions with what matters most.
-
It helps you accept new realities without abandoning the memory of what you've lost.
-
It facilitates the potential for an intentional, ongoing relationship with what you've lost.
-
It offers practical strategies to manage difficult emotions, shift unhelpful beliefs and thought patterns, and foster self-compassion.
-
Participating in therapy can lessen feelings of isolation, affirming your experience.
-
It reduces the risk of complicated grief.
-
Through therapy, you can explore the potential for finding meaning, personal growth, and connection within the grief process.
Use the form below to book a free 15-minute consultation call.