There is a common misconception that the process of grief and mourning follows a specific set of stages. You may have heard someone talking about the “stages” of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. You may experience some of these feelings, all of them, or even entirely different ones. You might even go through a period where you don’t feel anything or just feel “numb.” Some pour themselves into work or other activities as a way of avoiding the sad feelings. Others abuse alcohol or other drugs to deal with the loss.

The truth is that grief and bereavement impacts everyone differently. How you handle it probably has more to do with your personality and how you typically function under stress.

Not everyone needs to see a psychotherapist or counselor after the death of a loved one. In fact, most people find ways to successfully work through their grief on their own or with their family and friends.

Some people, however, often feel stuck in their grief. If that is your situation it might be helpful to talk to a professional in grief counseling.

Here are some issues to consider:

• Grief does not have a time table.

• Current losses can stir up old losses.

• Grief can occur even before the loss.

• Grief can set off other serious mental health issues like depression, OCD, and anxiety.

• Losing a loved often makes us confront feelings we have about our own mortality.

Have you lost a parent, a child, a friend, or someone else close to you? Do you feel stuck, unable to move beyond the loss? If so, I might be able to help. I can never know the true pain that you feel, but I can offer you a path forward.

Please contact me today if you have any questions or would like to discuss your concerns further. My office is in Southfield, MI with convenient access to the surrounding areas of Farmington Hills, Redford, Dearborn, Ferndale, Bloomfield Hills, Birmingham, Royal Oak, and more.