Bereavement

What is Bereavement?

We all experience loss and grief throughout our lives; the loss of a favourite pen, a coat, a tool. When the loss has an impact that has real meaning to us we may experience grief. Losing our home, job or health are all kinds of loss and grief.

Bereavement is something we experience as we become aware of the death of another person or animal. It is a deep sense of loss of a relationship once had and the reality of living without the other person or animal. It is when this loss of relationship is permanent and final.

What is Counselling?

Most of us have at least one other person who we talk to about our everyday life events. Many of us have family, friends, neighbours, associates, priests, sisters and many other individuals who we can share our thoughts and feelings with. So, why go to someone who we are unfamiliar with, who is not generally part of our every-day living and begin to share private and personal thoughts and feelings?

A counsellor is someone who is trained to remain neutral and yet supportive as we explore our thoughts and feelings. They are knowledgeable in guiding us through our loss and grief so we are better prepared to face our daily task of living.

What is Bereavement Counselling?

A trained Bereavement Counsellor also remains neutral and yet supportive as we explore our thoughts and feelings. They are especially knowledgeable in guiding us through our loss, listening to our story, the thoughts and feelings that we may not have felt before, or that we have buried away in order to be more effective in the short term. This is the Bereavement Counsellor's specialty.

What are the Benefits of Engaging in Bereavement Counselling?

We can find expression and meaning from our experiences. Sometimes we cannot. When we are unable to process or finish processing our loss we can find ourselves 'stuck' in our thinking and our feelings can lead us to behave in unexpected ways.

When these things happen it is often the case that physical symptoms such as headaches, pain, sleep disturbances, anxiety, depression and other somatic occurrences begin to interfere with our happiness. We may seek medical advice in order to be relieved of these symptoms but the symptoms return or never leave.