Grief Counseling Rochester NY
Different Types of Grief
Grief, like depression, comes in many different types based on your individual personality and the circumstances around the grief. It is a complex feeling, and everyone handles their feelings a little differently.
First, there is anticipatory grief which occurs before you lose a loved one. This is most common in the case of terminal illnesses, where you are expecting the loss and may have a difficult time coping with these feelings.
Acute grief is the intense, visceral type of grief that occurs immediately upon losing a loved one. This can affect you physically, emotionally, and behaviorally.
Once the immediate feelings of loss are over, your feelings may develop into chronic grief. This is common if your grief lasts for a long time or is not properly expressed while the feelings are raw. This can occur if you have experienced multiple losses, or if you have a difficult time accepting the loss. The severity of this type of grief can range, potentially interfering with your day-to-day life.
Finally, invisible grief is a type of grief that is only recently becoming more recognized. It is the type of loss that is not often validated or recognized by others; common examples include losing a pet, experiencing a miscarriage or infertility, and the loss of friendship.
Common Symptoms of Grief
When suffering from grief, it is common to work through a whole range of human emotions and can even impact your physical and behavioral health.
Emotional symptoms include intense sadness, guilt, loneliness, anger, depression, or even apathy or disbelief. Mood swings are common when working through the emotions of grief.
Physical symptoms may manifest as fatigue and changes in appetite. You may have trouble sleeping, chest, pains, shortness of breath, stomach problems, brain fog, and headaches.
Behavioral symptoms can manifest as you deal with the emotional and physical symptoms. You may find that you feel overwhelmed and begin neglecting hygiene or self-care. You may also begin withdrawing from social activities or struggling to concentrate throughout the day.
It is important to remember that the only improper way to handle grief is to not allow yourself to express these emotions in a healthy way. Everyone’s experience is unique, and many people struggle with the feelings.
Leaving your feelings untreated can lead to a worsening of the symptoms over time, or persisting feelings of grief. It is important to allow yourself to grieve so that you can continue on with life. After all, your loved one would want the best for you.
There is no guidebook for working through grief, but a grief counselor can help. Villa of Hope is here to support you while you navigate through these feelings and cope with loss.
There Is Hope
There is no ‘right’ way to cope with grief and loss, but it helps to have a guiding hand. If you are experiencing grief, don’t be afraid to reach out for help.
Villa of Hope offers grief counseling in the Rochester, NY area and can help you work through your feelings in a way that help you overcome the helplessness and pain that comes with grief.
Get in touch with us today to learn more about our grief counseling services and how we can help you. Our team is happy to answer your questions and provide a gentle, helping hand.
How to Cope with Grief and Loss
Everyone copes with grief and loss a little differently. The most important thing you can do is allow yourself to feel the emotions of grief and move through them without letting them get the better of you.
Fully feeling and expressing those feelings in some way – through social activities, art, music, or memorial acts – will help you cope with grief and over time, heal.
Grief counseling services can help you if you begin experiencing chronic grief, or intense grief that begins to interfere with your everyday life. You may also choose to seek help from a grief counselor just so you don’t have to navigate those feelings alone.
No matter what, you are welcome here at Villa of Hope. We do our best to cater to your needs and help you navigate these difficult times in a way that allows you to heal.
Learn more about some different interventions for grief and loss.
Grief Counseling Treatment Options
When dealing with grief, it’s important to find a treatment option that works for you. You may try different treatment options if one doesn’t work for you, as everyone handles grief differently, and reacts to treatment differently. You may also choose to pursue more than one type of therapy at a time depending on your needs.
At Villa of Hope, we offer three primary methods of grief counseling that are most popular with patients going through loss.
The first is individual counseling, which is a one-on-one supportive space between you and a certified grief counselor. They’ll help you work through your feelings and process the intense, raw emotions that you are feeling. You will come away with coping strategies and support.
The second is group counseling, which provides a social outlet for people experiencing loss. Having a safe space to talk about your grief and process your emotions in a social dynamic. This is a great way to help you alleviate feelings of loneliness, and provide a space of support and acceptance that may be missing in other parts of your life.
The third type of therapy is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, also known as CBT. This type of therapy is focused on changing negative thought patterns within your mind, which can alleviate distressing thoughts and emotions. This may be introduced later on in a treatment plan if you continue to struggle with grief, or may be beneficial in intense and chronic grief.
Looking for Grief Counseling Rochester NY?
If you are looking for grief counseling Rochester NY is home to Villa of Hope, which is one of the top grief counseling providers in the area. We are here for you, no matter what. Give us a call today and let us help you on your path to healing.
