Understanding
Bereavement
Bereavement is the natural response to losing someone important to you. Whilst grief is a normal human experience, it can feel overwhelming and affect every aspect of your life, including your physical health, emotional wellbeing, relationships, and daily functioning.
Understanding
Bereavement
Bereavement is the natural response to losing someone important to you. Whilst grief is a normal human experience, it can feel overwhelming and affect every aspect of your life, including your physical health, emotional wellbeing, relationships, and daily functioning.
Understanding
Bereavement
Bereavement is the natural response to losing someone important to you. Whilst grief is a normal human experience, it can feel overwhelming and affect every aspect of your life, including your physical health, emotional wellbeing, relationships, and daily functioning.
What does Bereavement feel like?
Living with bereavement can feel like navigating an emotional storm with waves of different feelings hitting unexpectedly. You might experience intense sadness, anger, guilt, or numbness that comes and goes without warning. Physical symptoms such as fatigue, difficulty sleeping, changes in appetite, or feeling physically heavy are common. Many people describe feeling lost, as if a part of themselves is missing, or struggling to find meaning in daily activities.
Grief can make concentration difficult, affect memory, and leave you feeling disconnected from others who haven't experienced your loss. The pain can feel unbearable at times, yet you may also experience moments of peace, happy memories, or even guilt about feeling briefly normal.
Common Symptoms
Intense sadness, crying, or emotional numbness
Anger, irritability, or mood swings
Physical symptoms like fatigue, headaches, or appetite changes
Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
Sleep disturbances or vivid dreams about the deceased
Guilt, regret, or ruminating thoughts about the loss
Social withdrawal or feeling disconnected from others
Searching behaviours or sensing the presence of the deceased
What does Bereavement feel like?
Living with bereavement can feel like navigating an emotional storm with waves of different feelings hitting unexpectedly. You might experience intense sadness, anger, guilt, or numbness that comes and goes without warning. Physical symptoms such as fatigue, difficulty sleeping, changes in appetite, or feeling physically heavy are common. Many people describe feeling lost, as if a part of themselves is missing, or struggling to find meaning in daily activities.
Grief can make concentration difficult, affect memory, and leave you feeling disconnected from others who haven't experienced your loss. The pain can feel unbearable at times, yet you may also experience moments of peace, happy memories, or even guilt about feeling briefly normal.
Common Symptoms
Intense sadness, crying, or emotional numbness
Anger, irritability, or mood swings
Physical symptoms like fatigue, headaches, or appetite changes
Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
Sleep disturbances or vivid dreams about the deceased
Guilt, regret, or ruminating thoughts about the loss
Social withdrawal or feeling disconnected from others
Searching behaviours or sensing the presence of the deceased
What does Bereavement feel like?
Living with bereavement can feel like navigating an emotional storm with waves of different feelings hitting unexpectedly. You might experience intense sadness, anger, guilt, or numbness that comes and goes without warning. Physical symptoms such as fatigue, difficulty sleeping, changes in appetite, or feeling physically heavy are common. Many people describe feeling lost, as if a part of themselves is missing, or struggling to find meaning in daily activities.
Grief can make concentration difficult, affect memory, and leave you feeling disconnected from others who haven't experienced your loss. The pain can feel unbearable at times, yet you may also experience moments of peace, happy memories, or even guilt about feeling briefly normal.
Common Symptoms
Intense sadness, crying, or emotional numbness
Anger, irritability, or mood swings
Physical symptoms like fatigue, headaches, or appetite changes
Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
Sleep disturbances or vivid dreams about the deceased
Guilt, regret, or ruminating thoughts about the loss
Social withdrawal or feeling disconnected from others
Searching behaviours or sensing the presence of the deceased
History of Bereavement
Understanding grief has evolved from viewing it as something to overcome quickly to recognising bereavement as a natural, complex process requiring compassionate support.
1960s
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross introduced the "five stages of grief" model, providing the first structured framework for understanding the grieving process, though later recognised as too linear for many people's experiences.
1980s
Researchers began recognising that grief doesn't follow predictable stages, leading to more individualised approaches and understanding that there's no "right way" to grieve or standard timeline for healing.
1990s
The concept of "complicated grief" emerged, distinguishing between normal grieving processes and more persistent, disabling grief that benefits from professional intervention and specialised treatment approaches.
Present
Modern bereavement support emphasises continuing bonds with the deceased, post-traumatic growth, and personalised grief approaches, recognising cultural differences and the lifelong nature of grief adaptation rather than "recovery."
History of Bereavement
Understanding grief has evolved from viewing it as something to overcome quickly to recognising bereavement as a natural, complex process requiring compassionate support.
1960s
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross introduced the "five stages of grief" model, providing the first structured framework for understanding the grieving process, though later recognised as too linear for many people's experiences.
1980s
Researchers began recognising that grief doesn't follow predictable stages, leading to more individualised approaches and understanding that there's no "right way" to grieve or standard timeline for healing.
1990s
The concept of "complicated grief" emerged, distinguishing between normal grieving processes and more persistent, disabling grief that benefits from professional intervention and specialised treatment approaches.
Present
Modern bereavement support emphasises continuing bonds with the deceased, post-traumatic growth, and personalised grief approaches, recognising cultural differences and the lifelong nature of grief adaptation rather than "recovery."
History of Bereavement
Understanding grief has evolved from viewing it as something to overcome quickly to recognising bereavement as a natural, complex process requiring compassionate support.
1960s
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross introduced the "five stages of grief" model, providing the first structured framework for understanding the grieving process, though later recognised as too linear for many people's experiences.
1980s
Researchers began recognising that grief doesn't follow predictable stages, leading to more individualised approaches and understanding that there's no "right way" to grieve or standard timeline for healing.
1990s
The concept of "complicated grief" emerged, distinguishing between normal grieving processes and more persistent, disabling grief that benefits from professional intervention and specialised treatment approaches.
Present
Modern bereavement support emphasises continuing bonds with the deceased, post-traumatic growth, and personalised grief approaches, recognising cultural differences and the lifelong nature of grief adaptation rather than "recovery."
Take our free self-test
Take our free self-test
Take a short self-test to see if counselling might make a difference.
Take a short self-test to see if counselling might make a difference.
Instructions
Answer the questions based on the last few weeks. Choose the option that fits best. You’ll see your results at the end.
This short self-test explores whether therapy could be helpful for you right now. It isn’t a diagnosis, but it can help you decide next steps.
Instructions
Answer the questions based on the last few weeks. Choose the option that fits best. You’ll see your results at the end.
This short self-test explores whether therapy could be helpful for you right now. It isn’t a diagnosis, but it can help you decide next steps.
Instructions
Answer the questions based on the last few weeks. Choose the option that fits best. You’ll see your results at the end.
This short self-test explores whether therapy could be helpful for you right now. It isn’t a diagnosis, but it can help you decide next steps.
How therapy can help
Grief counselling and bereavement therapy provide a safe space to process your loss and develop coping strategies. Therapists trained in grief work understand that healing doesn't mean "getting over" your loss, but learning to carry it in a way that allows you to engage with life again.
Therapy can help you navigate complicated emotions, address any guilt or regret, maintain connections with your deceased loved one, and gradually rebuild meaning and purpose. Different approaches including narrative therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, and support groups can be tailored to your specific needs and cultural background.
Benefits of Therapy
Process complex emotions in a safe, non-judgmental environment
Learn healthy coping strategies for managing grief waves
Address feelings of guilt, anger, or regret related to the loss
Develop ways to honour and maintain connection with the deceased
Navigate relationship changes and social challenges during grief
Build resilience and find meaning after significant loss
Address any complicated grief or traumatic aspects of the death
Create new routines and rebuild a sense of purpose and hope
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about bereavement and grief counselling support
How long should grief last, and when should I seek professional help?
Is it normal to feel angry at the person who died or at other people during grief?
Will I ever feel normal again, or does the pain of loss ever go away?
Should I keep my loved one's belongings, or is it healthier to clear them out?
How therapy can help
Grief counselling and bereavement therapy provide a safe space to process your loss and develop coping strategies. Therapists trained in grief work understand that healing doesn't mean "getting over" your loss, but learning to carry it in a way that allows you to engage with life again.
Therapy can help you navigate complicated emotions, address any guilt or regret, maintain connections with your deceased loved one, and gradually rebuild meaning and purpose. Different approaches including narrative therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, and support groups can be tailored to your specific needs and cultural background.
Benefits of Therapy
Process complex emotions in a safe, non-judgmental environment
Learn healthy coping strategies for managing grief waves
Address feelings of guilt, anger, or regret related to the loss
Develop ways to honour and maintain connection with the deceased
Navigate relationship changes and social challenges during grief
Build resilience and find meaning after significant loss
Address any complicated grief or traumatic aspects of the death
Create new routines and rebuild a sense of purpose and hope
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about bereavement and grief counselling support
How long should grief last, and when should I seek professional help?
Is it normal to feel angry at the person who died or at other people during grief?
Will I ever feel normal again, or does the pain of loss ever go away?
Should I keep my loved one's belongings, or is it healthier to clear them out?
How therapy can help
Grief counselling and bereavement therapy provide a safe space to process your loss and develop coping strategies. Therapists trained in grief work understand that healing doesn't mean "getting over" your loss, but learning to carry it in a way that allows you to engage with life again.
Therapy can help you navigate complicated emotions, address any guilt or regret, maintain connections with your deceased loved one, and gradually rebuild meaning and purpose. Different approaches including narrative therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, and support groups can be tailored to your specific needs and cultural background.
Benefits of Therapy
Process complex emotions in a safe, non-judgmental environment
Learn healthy coping strategies for managing grief waves
Address feelings of guilt, anger, or regret related to the loss
Develop ways to honour and maintain connection with the deceased
Navigate relationship changes and social challenges during grief
Build resilience and find meaning after significant loss
Address any complicated grief or traumatic aspects of the death
Create new routines and rebuild a sense of purpose and hope
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about bereavement and grief counselling support
How long should grief last, and when should I seek professional help?
Is it normal to feel angry at the person who died or at other people during grief?
Will I ever feel normal again, or does the pain of loss ever go away?
Should I keep my loved one's belongings, or is it healthier to clear them out?
