What is Grief Counselling? (The Pros and Cons)
Dealing with loss can be a difficult and complex process, and it can be hard to know what kind of support will be the most helpful for you.
Here at KMA Therapy, we know the decision to start grief counselling is incredibly personal. When you're dealing with loss, it can be hard to know what the most effective use of your time, energy, and money will be.
In this article, we'll outline what grief counselling is, what it can help with, and how to know if it could be the right choice for you.
What is Grief Counselling?
Grief counselling is a therapeutic process to help you navigate the feelings of shock, anger, and sadness that occur after a loss.
Grief counselling can help you:
- Navigate changes that have happened in your daily life
- Process your thoughts, feelings, and emotions
- Develop coping skills to manage challenges
- Understand different types of grief
Grief counselling can be especially helpful if you’re experiencing complicated grief, which means you don’t feel able to adapt to the loss after a year has passed and it’s stopping you from being able to live your life.
Many people go to grief counselling to deal with the loss of a loved one, but it can be helpful for any form of grief.
You may attend grief counselling to help cope with:
- The loss of a pet
- Getting diagnosed with an illness
- Major life changes, such as divorce
What Happens During Grief Counselling?
Grieving is a very personal process that can look different for everyone, so similarly, grief counselling can vary from person to person.
The main goal of grief counselling is to help you reduce how intense and painful your thoughts, feelings, and emotions are during the grieving process, and help you learn how to adapt to the new circumstances you're living with.
Your therapist will also help you learn what to expect from grief, including the different feelings or emotions you may experience.
Types of therapy used in grief counselling include:
- Acceptance and commitment therapy
- Cognitive behavioural therapy
- Narrative therapy
The Pros of Grief Counselling
Grief counselling can provide a safe and supportive environment to process the loss you've experienced, while equipping you with tools and coping mechanisms to help you adapt.
Grief counselling can be a great choice if:
- You want to find new meaning in your life
- You're struggling to cope with the emotions you're feeling or you're dealing with complex grief
- Your quality of life (including sleeping and eating habits) are being negatively impacted
Grief counselling can also be helpful if you're experiencing other mental health concerns, like anxiety or depression.
The Cons of Grief Counselling
Grief counselling can be an extremely helpful and empowering experience, but it's not the right choice for everyone.
Grief counselling may not be the right choice if:
- It's outside of your financial means
- You aren't ready or willing to open up about your experience in therapy
- You feel equipped to navigate the loss with the support of your friends and family
While grief counselling can be extremely helpful, especially when dealing with complex grief, many people are able to cope with loss through the support of friends and family and learn how to adapt without attending therapy.
Alternatives to Grief Counselling
After learning about the pros and cons of grief counselling, you might be interested in learning about some alternatives.
Alternatives to grief counselling include:
- Support groups where you can meet with others experiencing something similar
- Speaking to friends and family about how you're feeling
- Reading books about grief and processing grief
Toronto offers many free and community-based grief programs that can help you navigate the grieving process and get the support you deserve.
Next Steps for Grief Counselling in Toronto
After reading this article, you know what happens during grief counselling and how to know if it could be the right choice for you.
Here at KMA Therapy, our caring team of therapists is here to help you get the support you need. For over 15 years, we've matched our clients and community with the best therapists and therapy plans for them.
Register online for more information or download our Therapy 101 Guide to learn more about how therapy can help you.
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