Grief counseling is a specific form of therapy that helps you cope with the effects of a major loss after a cremation service in Oakland, CA. There are many different ways you can get help and support when you’re grieving after a loss and cremation service in Oakland, CA, grief counseling is just one of them. Though it comes in many different forms, it commonly involves taking through your feelings about and reactions to the loss of a loved one or any other grief-inducing event such as divorce, infertility, or an adoption falling through.

The main goal of grief counseling is to give you tools to help you deal with the emotional, spiritual, physical, and social effects of grief. The counselor will help you process what has happened, identify what you are experiencing, and provide strategies that help you cope in the healthiest way possible. As there are different kinds of grief counseling, there are different kinds of grief counselors including licensed or certified grief counselors. Licensed or certified grief counselors are mental health professionals who focus on treating individuals and families suffering from loss, whether that means a death or a divorce, loss of a job, or even the loss of a pet. Because grief comes in many different forms for many different people, there are lots of different kinds of grief counselors. Some work in group settings, others focus on private sessions. Some just listen, others give advice and actionable tools to help you move through the grieving process.

There is also pastoral counseling and support groups. Many people find comfort through their faith, making pastoral counseling an excellent choice for getting through grief. This type of counseling helps back up your faith and gives you guidance and support in grief through religious texts and concepts. Many people feel alone after the loss of a loved one. Support groups are excellent for making you feel less alone or if you’re uncomfortable talking to a professional in a one-on-one setting. In support groups, each member works in tandem with the others and gives instant validation from being around others who can understand on some level. Funeral homes, churches, hospitals, and community centers all usually offer support groups or recommendations.

You can also get grief counseling from professional therapists. “Therapist” refers to psychiatrists, psychologists, and counselors. Though they have different titles, each of these professionals are educated and certified in helping with mental and emotional problems. However, their different titles do indicate different specialties. Psychiatrists can diagnose mental health conditions and prescribe medicine, while psychologists are trained in talk therapy, the study of behavior, and psychological testing and analysis and therefore cannot prescribe medicine. Counselors are trained to help individuals address specific problems involving behavior and mental and emotional well-being. You can find any of these professional therapists in locations such as mental health clinics, community centers, hospitals, online practices, military facilities, and schools.

We are here to help if you have more questions on grief counseling or on Orange Park, FL cremation services. Call or visit us today to learn more about what we can do for you.

Grief can present itself in a variety of ways, from physical to emotional symptoms. What does “normal” grief look like after the loss of a loved one and a cremation service in Oakland, CA? How can you tell if what you are feeling is “normal” grief? When should you seek help? How long will you feel like this?

Grief often looks different in different people, meaning no two people will grieve exactly the same. There are many different physical signs of grief. Though grief isn’t a physical illness, it can often feel like one. Some people report that their hearts actually ache, while others are exhausted but can’t sleep or hungry but can’t eat.

And yet others still face a physical grief symptom called “broken heart syndrome,” which is a diagnosable disease with the same symptoms as a heart attack. Grief can also worsen existing health problems, causing increased blood pressure, heart palpitations, increased risk of blood clots, headaches, nausea, and even an increased number of colds or infections. While everyone will grieve at one time or another, grief can hit some people worse than others and necessitate professional intervention.

Feelings of hopelessness and despair are normal, but they shouldn’t be debilitating for long periods of time. Here are some signs you might benefit from counseling or sessions with a doctor, like if you’re no longer looking after your personal hygiene, are experiencing hallucinations, whether of your loved one or otherwise, or are feeling intense feelings of guilt. You should also see a doctor if you’re not able to complete your day-to-day activities, whether that means job, childcare, or school or have thoughts of suicide, the inability to sleep or sleep through the night, are not eating enough or properly, or are binge eating. There are also many emotional symptoms of grief. Grief is a serious stressor, linking physical and emotional symptoms and sparking the same nervous system response as a physical threat. Some research has shown that emotional pain, like the pain of a loss, can even trigger the same zones of the brain as physical pain. This is why you might supper emotional grief symptoms like fear, guilt, emptiness, sadness, anger, shame, shock, and depression.

Remember, every grief journey is different. You might experience some, all, or even none of the symptoms as you mourn the loss of your loved one. These differences also apply to timeline. Some people might grieve for weeks and other people for years. There is no set timeline for dealing with a loss, so take all the time to need to mourn your loved one while still remembering to take care of yourself, too. Even if you’re not experiencing these specific grief symptoms, you might still benefit from counseling or a grief support group. There is no shame in getting help. After all, humans are social animals and therefore do best when we mourn, heal, and move on in a community.

We are here to help if you want more information on grief or Oakland, CA cremation services. We are honored to do whatever we can for you in your time of loss or preplanning, so call or visit us today.