Grief and Loss Counselling: Getting the Help You Need
Grief is a natural response to loss, but it can take time to adjust to the changes that follow. Seeking grief and loss counselling may help you understand what you’re experiencing and find ways to cope with grief during this time.
In this blog, we explore different ways grief can affect you and when professional support may be helpful. We also explain what to expect when working with a psychologist and how they can support you through the process.
What Is Grief and Loss Counselling?
Grief and loss counselling is a form of professional support designed to help individuals process the emotional, cognitive, and physical impact of loss.
It’s provided by registered psychologists using evidence-based approaches to help you work through difficult emotions in a structured, supportive environment.
Common Situations Where Support May Be Needed
While many associate grief with the loss of someone close, it can also stem from other major life changes, such as:
The end of a long-term relationship or marriage
Loss of a job or career identity
Decline in physical or mental health
Loss of independence or a major life role
Miscarriage or loss during pregnancy
The loss of a pet
Each of these experiences can affect you differently, and there is no single way to grieve. If grief is affecting your everyday life, professional support may help you manage what you’re experiencing.
Our Approach to Grief and Loss Support At Adelaide Clinical Psychology
If you or someone you know is struggling with grief and loss at the moment, we are here to help. Simply follow the steps below to be booked in with one of our psychologists.
Enquiry: You can reach out by phone or through an online contact form to share your circumstances and how we can help you.
Booking: You’ll be matched with a suitable psychologist, or you can request a psychologist you feel comfortable with. You’ll receive some initial paperwork or consent forms before your first appointment.
Initial session: Your psychologist will take time to understand your situation, your history and set treatment goals that you can work toward.
Ongoing sessions: Your psychologist will work collaboratively with you as you work through your grief and adjust to a new routine.
Which Therapeutic Modalities Are Used?
At Adelaide Clinical Psychology, our experienced psychologists may use different evidence-based approaches when supporting someone through grief. These may include:
CBT focuses on identifying unhelpful thought patterns connected to loss. By examining how these thoughts influence feelings and behaviour, CBT may help a person carry their grief differently over time.
ACT takes a different approach, encouraging individuals to accept difficult thoughts and feelings rather than resist them. ACT helps people reconnect with their personal values and take meaningful action, even while grief is still present.
EMDR is often used when a loss is connected to a traumatic experience. It’s a structured technique that helps reduce the emotional intensity of distressing memories, allowing a person to recall them without the same level of distress.
DBT offers practical tools to manage intense emotions and build distress tolerance. This can be useful when grief brings strong emotions that feel difficult to manage.
Schema Therapy explores longstanding emotional patterns that may affect how someone reacts to loss. It can help identify these patterns and develop healthier ways to respond to emotional needs.
A psychologist may use one or a combination of these modalities, depending on what’s most appropriate for your situation.
Conditions That May Coexist with Grief
Grief can sometimes occur alongside other psychological difficulties, including:
Depression: Grief can occur alongside depression, which may involve low mood, loss of interest, hopelessness, or difficulty managing everyday activities.
Anxiety disorders: Anxiety may occur alongside grief, causing ongoing worry, fear, restlessness, or difficulty feeling settled.
Post-traumatic stress: When a loss is sudden, violent, or traumatic, some people may experience symptoms such as distressing thoughts or heightened alertness.
Sleep disturbances: Sleep changes are common during grief and may include difficulty falling asleep, waking frequently, or sleeping more than usual.
Complicated or prolonged grief responses: For some people, intense grief may continue for an extended period and affect daily functioning, relationships, or well-being.
A psychologist is trained to recognise when these overlapping difficulties may be present and can adjust the therapeutic approach accordingly.
How Helpful Is Grief and Loss Counselling?
Grief and loss counselling provides professional support to help you work through a loss. Many people find that having structured sessions with a psychologist may help them develop practical coping strategies and better understand their emotional responses.
Everyone’s experience of grief is different, and progress can look different for each person. The time it takes to adjust may vary depending on your circumstances and the type of loss you have experienced.
When Should You Seek Support?
There’s no fixed point at which someone should or shouldn’t seek support. The right time to reach out depends entirely on your own experience rather than any set timeframe.
Some people seek support soon after a loss, while others find they need it months or even years later, sometimes triggered by an unrelated event. Consider reaching out to a psychologist if you notice that grief is persistently affecting your sleep, concentration, relationships, or ability to manage everyday responsibilities.
Finding the Right Support
At Adelaide Clinical Psychology, our team of warm, kind, and understanding psychologists provides professional support for individuals experiencing grief and loss.
We take the time to understand your situation and work collaboratively with you, at your own pace. Our psychologists use evidence-based approaches that are appropriate for your individual circumstances.
If you’re considering grief and loss counselling, an initial conversation can help you understand what support may be suitable for you and what to expect from the process.
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