Counselling for Grief and Loss
People need strong affectionate bonds with other people for their emotional well-being, and they try hard to maintain these ties. Loss through death permanently breaks this bond.
Grief can be seen as a person’s struggle to maintain the emotional bond, while simultaneously experiencing the reality of loss.
‘Grief work’ is the process that a mourner needs to complete before resuming daily life. It involves separating from the deceased, adjusting to a world without them and forming new relationships.
Alternatively, people grieve not only for the deceased, but also for the unfulfilled dreams and plans for the future that they hoped to share with them.
Counselling for Trauma
Trauma is psychological harm that can be caused by highly distressing events. This can then affect an individuals ability to cope or function as they were prior to the event. Everyone’s reaction to potentially traumatic events is different and unique to the individual. Trauma Counselling in Adelaide is offered to those who are seeking professional help after experiencing a traumatic event.
Grief usually passes through three stages, but these stages are not separate, nor do they necessarily follow in sequence.
- An initial stage of shock or disbelief when it is difficult to believe that the death has occurred. This stage may last minutes or weeks.
- A stage of acute anguish that usually lasts from weeks to months when feelings of depression occur. Planning the future may be difficult.
- A phase of resolution after months, or even years.
At Pro Psychology SA, our psychologists are able to provide grief counselling which helps mourning by allowing our patients to work through the stages of grief in a supported relationship.
At Pro Pyschology SA, the goals of Grief and Trauma Counselling in Adelaide:
- Acceptance and talking openly about grief and trauma
- Identifying and expressing feelings related to the loss or trauma
(anger, guilt, anxiety, helplessness, sadness) - Separating emotionally and forming new relationships
- The provision of support
- Identifying ways of coping and strategies
- Explaining processes
Appointments with our Psychologists can be requested by clicking here.