Jessica Bowen, LMFT
Online Psychotherapy in Washington & Oregon
My practice is currently full. To be added to the waitlist, please email me
Grief Counseling
"Grief turns out to be a place none of us will know until we reach it."
-Joan Didion
When you lose someone you love, the sorrow can be unbearable. You're told your loved one wouldn't want you to be upset, so you try your best to be strong and get on with life. You may notice that friends are starting to check in on you less and less, and you worry you will make those around you uncomfortable if you lean on them too much. The emotions can range from numbness, to anger, to complete despair, all in the course of an hour. What you really want to know is how long is this going to last? And is there anything out there to make it all feel better?
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Grief counseling can help you:
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Process your loss and the myriad ways in which it may change and alter your life.
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Discover new ways of coping with the intense waves of grief.
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Explore how to best communicate your needs with those in your life who may not be able to relate to your loss.
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Address any previously dealt with issues that may be triggered by the loss (i.e. anxiety, depression, substance use, self-harming behaviors).
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Find ways of emotionally and spiritually connecting to your loved one.
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Discover and establish rituals to help you remember your loved one’s life and legacy.
Grief is often treated as something we must overcome, rather than a lifelong process of learning to live with loss and the feelings that will naturally arise. Grief counseling makes it possible to explore and express the complicated and sometimes contradictory feelings that you find yourself having trouble letting go of. Together we will work toward reduced suffering, finding acceptance and integrating the loss. You don't have to be "strong," and you don't have to do this alone.
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