Grief & Loss

 
 

Grief is Normal

Grief is a normal and natural reaction to loss, and lessens over time.  Sometimes we can get stuck in grief, which happens because we have loss that is traumatic, we avoid feeling grief emotions, or we are simply overwhelmed.  When people think of grief, they think of bereavement,  however we can grieve many losses including:

  • Loss of a job

  • Loss of a relationship

  • Loss of identity/self

  • Loss of abilities (disability or aging)

  • Loss of a pet

  • Loss of safety/security

Societal Expectations

In the following Tedx talk, Nancy Berns gives us the permission to grieve on our own terms and dispels societal expectations about grief following loss:

Society often creates expectations around what, when and for how long it is appropriate to grieve.  There is no time limit for grief, and there are many different ways that people grieve.  If you find yourself having difficulty expressing your grief, or you feel flooded by difficult emotions, counseling can provide a safe and supportive place for you to heal.  

We work with clients to help them process many types of grief.  Coral Link specializes in working with ambiguous loss, and runs a grief and loss group for traumatic brain injury survivors.