11 Impactful Benefits of Grief Counseling

Author

Talkspace

For more information about the author, click to view their website: Talkspace

Posted on

Jan 06, 2025

Book/Edition

Florida - Southwest

share-this
Share This

Grief is something everyone will experience at some point in life. It’s a universal reaction to loss that’s unavoidable. Yet, while it’s a journey everyone must eventually take, the path to healing from grief is unique. No two people’s experiences with grief are the same, which makes the grief journey even more lonely, painful, and difficult to navigate. The good thing is, grief counseling can help.

Grief counseling is a specific type of therapy that helps you understand and process the emotions brought on by grieving. It’s a place where you can build coping strategies and increase self-awareness as you learn to accept reality after loss.

There are several benefits to grief support therapy. From providing an open, safe space where you can express yourself, to learning complicated grief coping tools that specifically work for your needs, to coming to a place of acceptance — if you’re wondering if grief counseling is worth it, the answer is yes.  

Keep reading to learn more about the benefits of grief counseling that can help you cope with your loss.


1. Help with Understanding Grief

One of the best benefits of grief counseling might be that it can help you understand what you’re going through. Grief counselors act as a guide while you learn to process and understand the stages of grief. 

Developed by Elizabeth Kübler-Ross in her groundbreaking 1969 book, On Death and Dying, there are 5 stages of grief often referenced in counseling. 

Stages most people experience as they grieve include:

  • Denial
  • Anger
  • Bargaining
  • Depression
  • Acceptance

It’s important to note that the stages of grief are not linear or identical for everyone. How, when, and even if you experience each stage can differ from person to person. More recently, David 

Kressler added 2 more stages of grief that are commonly accepted. They are shock and testing.

2. A Safe Space to Express Emotions

It’s crucial to understand there’s no timeline for the grief journey. Most people vastly underestimate how long the grieving process takes. Research shows on average, it can take up to 2 years to heal from significant loss. 

Due to the length of time the grieving process takes, you might find it difficult to express your emotions in a place where you feel safe. It might feel like the world has moved on, but you’re stuck without a way to express yourself. Grief counseling can offer that haven, where no emotion is out of place. 

3. Coping Mechanisms

Counseling will offer a tool kit filled with grief therapy techniques and coping tools. Coping mechanisms for grief are crucial in helping you process any complicated grief emotions while you heal. 

Common coping mechanisms used in grief therapy include:

  • Journaling: Writing down your feelings and thoughts helps you process them more deeply. Research suggests that journaling can be an effective way to manage anxiety, stress, and depression, which are often related to loss.
  • Deep breathing: The art of deep breathing is a way to calm the mind and regain control over your emotions. There are several breathing techniques you can learn in therapy that can help you when your grief is all-encompassing, and you can’t see a way out. 
  • Mindfulness: Mindful meditation is an ancient practice of being still. It focuses on calming the mind and letting go of regrets from the past or worries about the future. 
  • Positive reframing: In therapy, you learn how to reframe your thoughts about grief. While at first this may seem impossible — nothing good came from your loss — the concept of reframing isn’t just “looking at the glass half full.” It’s more like consciously focusing on the good memories or putting effort into a tribute for the person you lost — actions that can help relieve some of the pain you’re experiencing. 

4. Increased Self-Awareness

One of the most incredible benefits of any type of therapy is how it helps boost self-awareness. In grief therapy, you gain a good grasp and understanding of the feelings and emotions you experience during the grieving process.  

With self-awareness comes a rise in consciousness that helps you recognize unhealthy or unhelpful thought and behavior processes that might evoke psychological pain. Therapy can help you learn effective tools to manage these moments in constructive, positive ways.

5. Help with Accepting Reality

Acceptance can be one of the most complicated stages of grief to move through. Grief therapy allows you to come to terms with the harsh reality of your loss. It’s important to note that acceptance doesn’t mean forgetting about your loved one or feeling at peace with the loss. Instead, it’s knowing how to live with your new reality.

6. Reduces Isolation

Grief can be a very isolating and lonely experience. Though it’s a personal and solitary time in your life, it doesn’t have to remain that way. A grief counseling session can be comforting, and your grief therapist can offer you validation when you feel alone or like nobody understands your pain. Understanding that your feelings aren’t wrong or abnormal is vital to healing.

It’s common to feel a disconnect when you’re grieving. Therapy with a grief counselor can help you reconnect and explain where you are emotionally if others can’t see what you’re going through.

7. Restored Sense of Control

With grief often comes anxiety and stress, which can make you feel out of control. Therapy and grief counseling techniques can be a lifeline that guides you through these emotional storms so you can find calm. 

One of the most critical aspects of therapy is that it doesn’t mask symptoms. Instead, your grief therapist gives you the tools for long-term resilience so you can handle whatever else life throws at you, even when you’re in a fragile state that comes with grieving. 

Learning to master your emotions is crucial after a loss. It’s always OK to be authentic and “feel your feelings,” but knowing you can control them is empowering. It will bring hope back into view, even though grief has changed everything you know about your world. 

“Grief can change a person’s entire perspective on life. There can be overall changes in sleep patterns, eating patterns, overall energy decreases there’s forgetfulness and trouble concentrating. Mood changes like irritability and overall sadness.”

– Talkspace therapist Reshawna Chapple, PhD, LCSW

8. Help with Life Transitions

By seeking therapy to manage your grief, you’ll learn how to move towards a new reality after loss with grief counseling techniques. Going to a grief counseling session can pave the way as you work toward acceptance and growth. Maybe this means adjusting to living alone or dealing with significant shifts professionally, but therapy can offer grief support as you learn to understand your new roles and territory. 

9. Effective Communication Skills

Learning to communicate effectively is a life skill you’ll benefit from long after you go through the grieving process. The capacity to communicate clearly and in a thoughtful, expressive manner allows the people around you to understand what you’re struggling with so they can surround you with a supportive and sympathetic circle as you heal. 

10. Support in Rebuilding Relationships

Grief can make sustaining relationships challenging. It’s easy to pull away from others, and feeling misunderstood, even by those closest to you, is not uncommon. Therapy can help you strengthen bonds again so you can reshape damaged relationships. 

By coping with and expressing your emotions in healthy ways, you can reestablish deep connections with people you may have distanced yourself from. 

11. Finding Meaning After Loss

It feels impossible, but you can find meaning after loss. Even when it seems like you’re drowning or that your grief is swallowing you up, grief counseling can show you how to take — sometimes very small — steps toward finding purpose. 

Loss can create a void so big that your entire worldview shifts. Therapy with a grief counselor helps you embrace the transformation loss causes, as post-traumatic growth focuses on slowly letting go of the pain you’re in.

“Through the pain, sometimes grief can put things into perspective. The grieving process can slow an individual down so much that they start to see the world differently. Through the grieving process and with the help of a grief counselor, you can find ways to put the grief into perspective. Sometimes, grief can even redefine an individual’s life purpose.”

– Talkspace therapist Reshawna Chapple, PhD, LCSW

Is Grief Counseling Worth It?

It’s completely normal to wonder if grief counseling is worth it. The short answer is: yes, it is. According to research, while most people will be able to cope with grief without intervention or professional help from a grief therapist, experiencing loss is linked to both mental and physical outcomes. 

  • Mental health impact: According to research, grief is linked to an increase in poor mental health, causing higher rates of mood disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety.   
  • Physical impact: Some studies indicate that grief can affect physical health and even lead to an increased risk of mortality. 

Getting a hold on your grief by managing and working through it in therapy can help you ease the impact it has on your life.

Begin Your Healing Journey with Talkspace

If you need help dealing with grief, Talkspace is an online therapy platform that simplifies the therapeutic process. Online grief counseling is just as effective as in-person — it offers you access to professional, experienced grief counselors so you can find the strength you need to navigate your grief and come out on the other side.

Sources:

  1. Tyrrell P, Harberger S, Schoo C, Siddiqui W. Kubler-Ross stages of dying and subsequent models of grief. National Library of Medicine. Accessed December 12, 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507885/.  
  2. Grief, bereavement, and coping with loss (PDQ®). National Library of Medicine. October 18, 2022. Accessed December 12, 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK66052/  
  3. Smyth JM, Johnson JA, Auer BJ, Lehman E, Talamo G, Sciamanna CN. Online positive affect journaling in the improvement of mental distress and well-being in general medical patients with elevated anxiety symptoms: A preliminary randomized controlled trial. JMIR Mental Health. 2018;5(4). doi:10.2196/11290. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6305886/. Accessed December 12, 2023. 
  4. Newsom C, Schut H, Stroebe MS, et al. Effectiveness of bereavement counselling through a community‐based organization: A naturalistic, controlled trial. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy. 2017;24(6). doi:10.1002/cpp.2113. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5763344/. Accessed December 12, 2023
  5. Zisook S, Iglewicz A, Avanzino J, et al. Bereavement: Course, consequences, and care. Current Psychiatry Reports. 2014;16(10). doi:10.1007/s11920-014-0482-8. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11920-014-0482-8. Accessed December 12, 2023. 

Talkspace articles are written by experienced mental health-wellness contributors; they are grounded in scientific research and evidence-based practices. Articles are extensively reviewed by our team of clinical experts (therapists and psychiatrists of various specialties) to ensure content is accurate and on par with current industry standards.

Our goal at Talkspace is to provide the most up-to-date, valuable, and objective information on mental health-related topics in order to help readers make informed decisions.

Articles contain trusted third-party sources that are either directly linked to in the text or listed at the bottom to take readers directly to the source.

Other Articles You May Like

Who We Serve

We provide housing for a wide range of individuals, ensuring secure and supportive living environments for those in need. Our goal is to offer comprehensive support, promoting stability, dignity, and community involvement for every person we serve.Displaced Adults We assist people who are experiencing displacement due to life transitions, natural disasters, or economic challenges. By offering secure housing options, we aim to provide stability and emotional support as they adjust to new circumstances in their lives. Our programs include personalized case management to help individuals regain self-sufficiency.Veterans We honor those who have served our country by offering targeted housing assistance for veterans. Our services support their honorable and respectful transition back to civilian life, ensuring they have the resources needed for long-term stability. We collaborate with veteran organizations to provide additional services such as counseling, job training, and access to healthcare.Senior Citizens Our housing options for seniors are designed to support their independence and well-being. We create environments that prioritize safety, comfort, and accessibility tailored to their unique needs. Our communities encourage social interaction, wellness programs, and access to medical services to ensure a high quality of life.(SSI/SSDI) Income Recipients We provide secure housing solutions for individuals receiving SSI/SSDI income. Our goal is to guarantee them stability and a secure living arrangement based on their guaranteed income. We offer budget counseling and community support programs to ensure financial wellness and social inclusion.Families in Need We extend our services to families facing housing challenges. Our family housing programs provide safe and nurturing environments for parents and children. We focus on holistic support, including access to educational resources, childcare services, and community-building activities to empower families towards self-sufficiency.Persons with Disabilities We offer specialized housing options for individuals with disabilities, ensuring accessibility and necessary support services. Our goal is to create inclusive environments that promote independence while ensuring necessary care and accommodations are readily available.Make an Inquiry! If you or someone you know needs housing assistance, contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help. Our team is ready to assist with compassionate and personalized support, ensuring every individual has the opportunity for a stable and dignified living environment.

Ona Solutions: Transforming Lives Through Affordable Housing

About Us Welcome to Ona Solutions, where we specialize in providing housing for independent adults and assisting individuals in finding affordable housing options. Our dedicated team is committed to creating safe, supportive, and sustainable living environments that empower individuals to thrive. We operate with a foundation of compassion and a strong sense of community, working tirelessly to ensure everyone has access to a place they can call home. At Ona Solutions, we firmly believe that housing is a fundamental human right and strive to make this belief a reality for all.Mission At Ona Solutions, our mission is to transform lives by offering secure, affordable, and dignified housing solutions for independent adults and those seeking affordable living options. Our goal is to foster a supportive community where individuals can regain stability, independence, and hope. Through our dedicated efforts, we aim to address the housing deficit and ensure that every person we serve has the opportunity to lead a better, more fulfilling life.Vision Our vision at Ona Solutions is a world where affordable housing is accessible to all. We envision a society where everyone has a place to call home, enabling them to lead fulfilling and independent lives. By continuously innovating and advocating for sustainable housing solutions, we aspire to be a leader in creating lasting change and brighter futures for individuals and communities alike.Why Choose Ona Solutions?Commitment to Community: We prioritize creating a sense of belonging by fostering supportive and inclusive housing environments.Affordability: We are dedicated to providing cost-effective housing solutions to help individuals maintain financial stability.Sustainability: Our focus on sustainable practices ensures long-term housing security and positive environmental impact.Empowerment: We empower residents by offering resources and support systems that encourage personal growth and independence.Get Involved At Ona Solutions, we believe positive change happens when communities come together. Whether you are seeking affordable housing or want to support our mission, we welcome you to join our efforts in making housing accessible for all. Together, we can create a brighter future where everyone has a place to call home.

When Grief Doesn't Ease

Sometimes it feels as if your bereavement will never end. You feel as if youd give anything to have the pain go away; to have the long lonely hours between nightfall and dawn pass without heartache. You are not the only grieving person who has longed for some measure of relief.In the novel, My Sisters Keeper, author Jodi Picoult wrote, There should be a statute of limitations on grief. A rule book that says it is all right to wake up crying, but only for a month. That after 42 days you will no longer turn with your heart racing, certain you have heard her call out your name.No such rule book exists. Grief counselors and therapists tell us that the length of time it takes anyone to grieve the loss of someone they held dear to them is dependent on the situation, how attached you were to the deceased, how they died, your age and gender. So many variables exist and theres absolutely no way to predict how long it will take for you to adapt to your loss.The Difference Between Normal and Complicated GriefResearch findings have led experts to come up with many differing categories of grief experience ranging from normal to complicated. Normal (or uncomplicated) grief has no timeline and encompasses a range of feelings and behaviors common after loss such as bodily distress, guilt, hostility, preoccupation with the image of the deceased, and the inability to function as one had before the loss. All are normal and present us with profound, and seemingly endless, challenges. Yet, Katherine Walsh says, Over the course of time, with average social supportmost individuals will gradually experience a diminishment of these feelings, behaviors, and sensations. So, how can you know if your bereavement is no longer within the range of normal? Ms. Walsh goes on to say, While there is no definitive time period by which this happens, if an individual or members of a family continue to experience distress intensely or for a prolonged periodor even unexpectedly years after a lossthey may benefit from treatment for complicated grief.A Useful Model for Assessment: Wordens Four Tasks of MourningThere are certain tasks that, when achieved during your bereavement, can successfully allow you to emerge on the other side of loss as a better, stronger, and more resilient individual. James Worden proposed these four tasks: To accept the reality of the loss To process the pain of grief To adjust to a world without the deceased To find an enduring connection with the deceased in the midst of embarking on a new life Instead of focusing on your bodily discomforts, feelings, and common behaviors, this model allows you to better see where you may be stuck or stalled in the adaptive process. Fortunately, Worden also gives us a list of indicators advising that "any one of these clues in and of itself may not be sufficient" for a diagnosis of complicated grief. "However," he continues, "any of theseshould be taken seriously, and the diagnosis of complicated grief should be considered when they appear."12 Clues... 12 InsightsWhile grief educators and theorists tell us that a diagnosis of complicated grief should not even be attempted until after the first anniversary of the death, if any one of the following symptomatic clues exists for longer than six months, you may want to consider grief counseling or grief therapy: You cannot speak of the deceased without experiencing intense and fresh grief long after the loss. A relatively minor event triggers an intense grief reaction. Your conversations with others are littered with references to loss. In other words, loss is an ever-present motif in your world view. You have issues related to your loved one's possessions. Keeping everything the same as before their death could indicate trouble just as tossing out everything right away can also be a clue to disordered mourning. (You also need to factor in your cultural and religious background) You have developed physical symptoms similar to those of the deceased before their death. Sometimes these symptoms recur annually, on the anniversary of the death, or on holidays. An increased susceptibility to illness or the development of a chronic physical complaint can also be an indicator. If you have made radical changes to your lifestyle, or excluded friends, family members, or even activities associated with the deceased, it may indicate unresolved grief. A long history of depression, often marked by guilt or low self-esteem, can reveal disordered mourning. The opposite is also true: a person experiencing a false sense of happiness or elation could be experiencing unresolved grief. A compulsion to imitate the deceased, in personality or behavior, can be a sign of complicated mourning. Having self-destructive impulses or exhibiting self-destructive behaviors can be significant. These can range from substance abuse, engaging in self-harm, developing eating disorders and suicidal tendencies. A sense of unexplained sadness occurring at a certain time each year (holidays, anniversaries, or birthdays) can also be a clue to unresolved grief. Developing a strong fear about dying, especially when it relates to the illness that took the life of your loved one, is an important clue. If you have avoided visiting your loved one's grave or if you are still unwilling to discuss the circumstances of their death, this could indicate complications in your bereavement. There are many types of complicated grief; it can be delayed, masked, exaggerated, or chronic. Self-diagnosis is without purpose. A year after the death, if you feel your grief symptoms worsening, we advise that you seek a referral from your family physician for professional grief counseling or therapy.Sources: Walsh, Katherine, Grief and Loss: Theories and Skills for the Helping Professions, 2nd Edition, 2012 Worden, James, Grief Counseling & Grief Therapy: A Handbook for the Mental Health Practitioner, 4th Edition, 2009

Local Services By This Author

Talkspace

Psychologist 622 3rd Avenue, New York, New York, 10017

Online Mental Health TherapyMental health support from anywhere, available fast Talkspace provides mental health support privately and conveniently online. Receive live video therapy appointments from a highly qualified licensed therapist covered by your Medicare or Medicare Advantage plan with little wait.  Individual therapy, psychiatry, or couples counseling covered by your private insurance plan is also readily available.Talkspace provides:A private space to discuss relationships, retirement, grief, health conditions, financial concerns, life changes, and anything thats on your mindLive one-on-one therapy sessions from your computer or phoneTreatment for over 150 mental health conditions including anxiety, stress, grief, depression, OCD, BPD, and moreMessaging therapy allows you to share with your therapist 24/7 and receive feedback and advice, and is proven to be as effective as traditional therapy..Connect with a therapist within daysTalkspace will match you with a therapist who is licensed in your state and should be a good fit for your needs. Start communicating with your therapist in 1-2 days.Receive care on your scheduleTalkspace removes all the scheduling hassles so you can get mental health support anytime, anywhere. Send your therapist text, voice, or video messages through the secure Talkspace platform and hear back daily, 5 days / weekStart your care journey with Talkspace today, visit www.talkspace.com

Talkspace

Medicare Health Providers 622 3rd Avenue, New York, New York, 10017

Online Mental Health TherapyMental health support from anywhere, available fast Talkspace provides mental health support privately and conveniently online. Receive live video therapy appointments from a highly qualified licensed therapist covered by your Medicare or Medicare Advantage plan with little wait.  Individual therapy, psychiatry, or couples counseling covered by your private insurance plan is also readily available.Talkspace provides:A private space to discuss relationships, retirement, grief, health conditions, financial concerns, life changes, and anything thats on your mindLive one-on-one therapy sessions from your computer or phoneTreatment for over 150 mental health conditions including anxiety, stress, grief, depression, OCD, BPD, and moreMessaging therapy allows you to share with your therapist 24/7 and receive feedback and advice, and is proven to be as effective as traditional therapy..Connect with a therapist within daysTalkspace will match you with a therapist who is licensed in your state and should be a good fit for your needs. Start communicating with your therapist in 1-2 days.Receive care on your scheduleTalkspace removes all the scheduling hassles so you can get mental health support anytime, anywhere. Send your therapist text, voice, or video messages through the secure Talkspace platform and hear back daily, 5 days / weekStart your care journey with Talkspace today, visit www.talkspace.com

Talkspace

Geriatric Care Management 622 3rd Avenue, New York, New York, 10017

Online Mental Health TherapyMental health support from anywhere, available fast Talkspace provides mental health support privately and conveniently online. Receive live video therapy appointments from a highly qualified licensed therapist covered by your Medicare or Medicare Advantage plan with little wait.  Individual therapy, psychiatry, or couples counseling covered by your private insurance plan is also readily available.Talkspace provides:A private space to discuss relationships, retirement, grief, health conditions, financial concerns, life changes, and anything thats on your mindLive one-on-one therapy sessions from your computer or phoneTreatment for over 150 mental health conditions including anxiety, stress, grief, depression, OCD, BPD, and moreMessaging therapy allows you to share with your therapist 24/7 and receive feedback and advice, and is proven to be as effective as traditional therapy..Connect with a therapist within daysTalkspace will match you with a therapist who is licensed in your state and should be a good fit for your needs. Start communicating with your therapist in 1-2 days.Receive care on your scheduleTalkspace removes all the scheduling hassles so you can get mental health support anytime, anywhere. Send your therapist text, voice, or video messages through the secure Talkspace platform and hear back daily, 5 days / weekStart your care journey with Talkspace today, visit www.talkspace.com