Therapy Counselling in Halifax

Grief Counselling Services

Symptoms of grief can range. Our experienced Halifax psychological therapists are here to help you move through the process.

Our family therapy clinic has experienced staff trained in psychological therapy available to provide grief counselling in Halifax. If your loss is so overwhelming you are struggling to fulfill your day-to-day activities, it is time to reach out for help.

Loss from a disaster or traumatic event can cause an emotional or physical response which we call grief. If your loss is of a loved one, this grief is called bereavement. The process of coming to terms with these losses can be a painful process which you do not have to go through alone. Grief counselling is available in many forms to help your particular situation.

Whether you are an adult or you have an adolescent or child who is experiencing grief, we can help you make sense of it. Each person will have their own way to process it. It will take different amounts of time and may present as sadness or even outbursts of anger.

While it is expected that someone will grieve after the loss of a loved one, there are other losses which induce grief. Losing a pet, a job, a home or any other significant possession can cause grief. Even a mutual divorce can cause grief as a change to your identity occurs.

Grief Counselling Halifax, Nova Scotia

What is Grief Counseling?

Grief counseling is designed to help you work through the various emotions you may experience after loss. Grief can have similar symptoms of depression, and likewise therapy can be a huge help in the relief of these symptoms. While symptoms of grief tend to lessen with time, they may return when we are reminded of our loss, and the coping skills you learn in grief counseling can come to aid at these times. Grief is often grouped into stages, particularly the five familiar stages of grief coined by psychiatrist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross. While denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance are common stages, it is not to say you will experience all of these, or in that order. Other reactions to grief may include anxiety, distress, insomnia, loss of appetite, sadness and shock.

Our Halifax grief counselors can help you address any of these reactions and more as you are moving toward your new normal. For most, six months is a common timeframe to recover from grief, but for others it can last a year or longer.

What Are the Different Types of Grief?

Beyond normal grief, one may experience complicated grief, traumatic grief, broken heart syndrome or grief induced depression.

When you experience severe symptoms that last a year or longer, this is typically classified as complicated grief. Symptoms can include intense sadness, feeling hopeless, a reduced sense of identity, detachment from friends and family, and a lack of desire to make plans. If you are yearning to be reunited with your loved one, constantly thinking of the person you lost or how they died, having difficulty engaging in happy memories of your loved one, or you are avoiding things that remind you of the person you lost, these can also be signs of complicated grief and you would benefit from seeing a grief counselor.

When you lose someone through a traumatic event, the grief can manifest differently than normal grief. If you are unprepared to lose someone and it happens suddenly, perhaps you witness them die or become severely injured, you may experience traumatic grief. Since an element of shock may be involved, it may creep up on you days, weeks, or even months after the incident. The feelings may be more frightening to deal with given the circumstances and you should reach out to your doctor or contact a grief counselor.

Grief can go so far as to affect your physical health. The saying “they died from a broken heart” is not likely to be true, but if your grief causes severe stress, it can in fact affect your heart. Your body releases stress hormones when your grief is intense and they can cause part of your heart to pump blood unevenly or beat irregularly, causing similar pains as that of a heart attack. If you are experiencing Broken Heart Syndrome, our experienced grief counselors can help you develop coping strategies to deal with your grief during recovery.

While grief and depression may have similarities, they are separate difficulties. If you are prone to depression, it is important to watch out that your grief does not trigger a depressive state. Our therapists can help you identify and move through both of these conditions.

What Can I Expect in Grief Counseling?

Therapy for grief will have specific goals. Acceptance of the loss, working through the pain, adjusting to your new life, and maintaining a connection to your loved one while finding ways to move on are some of the main outcomes our counselors would like to see for you.

There are various ways that therapists can help achieve these goals. Talk therapy can guide you through grief by helping you discuss the loss and who the person was to you. You may be asked to describe your feelings so that coping strategies may be built to help you through tough days. Discussion will be had about how grief is a normal part of life, that while uncomfortable, is to be expected. Cognitive behavioral therapy may be used to help you identify harmful behaviors that grief has brought into your everyday life and replace them with coping strategies. You may be aided in developing a new identity such that you can move on and build new relationships.

In the instance of children experiencing grief, family therapy may be a place to start as they will often look to the adults in their life for how to process their feelings. Child therapists for grief are also trained in methods such as storytelling and play to help young children to learn to grieve in a healthy manner.

How Can You Get Started? Grief Counselling Halifax

Tod Augusta Scott has worked with individuals and families since 1994 and has provided therapy for thousands of adults, children and families. You can request an appointment through the online form below to get started with your grief counselling Halifax online session.

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Cancellation Policy: Appointments missed or cancelled without 24 hours' notice will be subject to billing.

Our booking administrator will respond on the same business day to book your appointment and gather all relevant details needed to connect you with the right therapist. Please note that our services are currently only available to residents of Ontario & Nova Scotia.