2. Bereavement Therapy

Grief is another much misunderstood and perfectly normal part of the human condition. Where we frequently go wrong is when we don’t allow ourselves to experience a loss, or we don’t spend enough time working through our grief. Typical examples of this are the person who goes back to work the day after a loved one’s funeral, thinking it will at least take their mind off the incredible pain and upset they are feeling. The common result is that we end up “stuck in grief” whereby our thoughts are continually on the loss, and ordinary life feels like it is just passing us by. Another common feature of grief and loss is people thinking it is only about bereavement, when it covers so many other parts of our lives as well. We can, for example, experience deep and long lasting grief around a professional disappointment such as a missed promotion at work, or the end of a relationship. Like the loss of a loved ones these have to be worked through with a supportive therapist.