Online Therapy in Michigan for Grief Counseling
Grief counseling is a form of therapy that aims to help people manage their physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and cognitive responses to loss. Loss does not mean only the loss of life, though that is what most people think. There are many different types of losses that we experience. This includes loss of job, relationships, friendships, life routines, dreams, pets, time, health, and many more.
DABDA + Finding Meaning and Online Therapy in Michigan
The Kubler-Ross model has five stages of grief called DABDA. That is an acronym for denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. David Kessler adds a sixth stage called finding meaning.
D is for Denial
The first reaction we may experience is denial or disbelief. We may think, " This isn't happening to me!" or "This isn't happening right now." This is a common experience. Denial surrounding the loss is an expected experience.
A is for Anger
Anger is another stage of grief. Again, feeling angry is natural and normal. We may get angry at ourselves, friends, family, doctors, bosses, or anyone connected with the loss. Due to not meeting the expectations, we will experience a range of feelings. We may feel angry and frustrated.
B is for Bargaining
Bargaining occurs when a person prays or hopes that their loss will be reversed in exchange for a change in their behavior. People bargain with themselves or their spiritual beliefs. Many people say, "If you give me my job back, I'll change this time." People want things to go back to how they were.
D is for Depression
People will feel depressed when they have a loss. Again, this is normal. A mourning period should be expected. When life is difficult, we need to process that experience. When it's a significant life experience occurs, you can't say, "This sucks. I'm over it!" and be over it. That's not how life works. That is not how emotions work. It takes time to process grief and loss. If you're feeling depressed, know that you are working through the process of grief.
A is for Acceptance
With time, people accept and come to terms with what has occurred. There will be times when this takes longer than expected. There is no timeline for the process of grief. People come to terms with their loss when they are ready.
Finding Meaning
People find meaning in their grief and loss. When people experience grief and loss, they may lose themselves in the situation. They may not know who they are or what their purpose is due to the loss. People can find meaning in life after a significant loss in their life. It's about finding a way to remember the situation while moving forward with life.
Online Therapy in Michigan for Grief Counseling
Experiencing grief is a normal and natural life experience. It's not easy. I hope this blog helps give you a framework to process your grief. If you need support with grief counseling, reach out to me here for a complimentary 15- minute consultation. I want you to get better and if I can help in any way, I will.
My name is Chris Rabanera and I am a psychotherapist that provides individual therapy for motivated individuals. Issues I work with include work stress and burnout, anxiety, relationship issues including personal relationships, family dynamics, professional relationships, grief, and life transitions. When you work with me, therapy is comfortable and client-focused.
