Is There A Difference Between A Grief Counsellor And A Bereavement Counsellor In Calgary?
The terms grief counselling and bereavement counselling are often used interchangeably, though there are some subtle differences between the two disciplines. What exactly is the difference between a grief counsellor and a bereavement counsellor? Well, simply put, it all depends on what you’re grieving.
Grief and bereavement are related but involve different responses over a period of time to potentially different losses. Grief includes the process of dealing with all kinds of loss, including the death of a loved one. Bereavement is the grief that occurs specifically when someone has experienced the death of a loved one.
Grief counsellors as a general term, help those that are experiencing grief due to an individual death, divorce, breaking up with a partner and other losses. Usually, grief counselling is aimed at those that are unable to cope with the loss that has occurred.
Most people may also refer to bereavement counsellors as grief counsellors. You can find short-term help from a bereavement counsellor but you should also consider seeing an individual therapist for longer periods of time if your grief lasts for more than 6 months or if you have symptoms such as severe depression, anger outbursts at others, sleep problems etc.
What Do You Talk About During Grief Counselling?
Grief is a natural response to death. People will grieve in different ways and for varying lengths of time. Grief is different for everyone. Your feelings about the loss and/or the death will be unique to your relationship with the situation or the person who has died. The grief process includes many levels, such as:
- Physical;
- Emotional;
- Social; and
- Spiritual dimensions.
These levels include complex feelings as well as cognitive reactions to the loss of a loved one.
Although each person’s grief process is unique and personal, there are common experiences that people share. A grief counsellor or therapist in Calgary can help you deal with many of these common situations and events.
So, What do you talk about with your grief and bereavement counsellor? Your counsellor may try to guide you through the following:
- Talking about the loss of your loved one;
- What that person meant to you;
- The circumstances surrounding their death;
- Asking you to describe your current emotions and feelings;
Helping you build coping strategies to deal with hard days like holidays and birthdays
Through therapy, you can work with a counsellor to cope with loss, ease stress and anxiety and find a sense of peace, move forward, and remember the good things about your loved one.
What Techniques Are Used In Bereavement Counselling?
There are a variety of techniques that may be used in bereavement counselling and six techniques that are commonly used to treat and manage a patient in bereavement. These techniques include cognitive restructuring, writing, role playing, evocative language, creating a memory book and writing/diarizing.
So, How Do You Deal With Grief And Bereavement?
Dealing with loss and grieving the death of a loved one is a tricky process, one where no two people are going to get through it exactly the same way. The key, though, is to remember that you’re not alone. If you’re struggling with handling the pain of losing someone close to you, don’t hesitate to look for the professional assistance of a grief counsellor in Calgary.
In conclusion, the loss of a loved one can often be the most difficult experience of our lives, and we might not be able to do anything to ease the pain that this loss brings with it. The best thing we can do is surround ourselves with people who care, who know exactly what we’re going through, and who are willing to help us heal in as many ways as possible. This process will likely take time – sometimes years – so there’s no need to rush things. For now, focus on taking care of you. You will continue to cope better if your mind, body, and soul are all healthy. In time, you will find a way to live with your loss and go on living your life again.
