GRIEVING THE LOSS OF SOMEONE – OR SOMETHING

There are many different kinds of losses throughout life – and different ways to grieve them, explains TANJA FAESSLER, certified coach and counsellor at Counselling connectz.

Physical loss may be most familiar. Examples include miscarriage or stillbirth, death, or losing one’s home. However, Tanja explains that we can also grieve abstract loss. For many expats, it’s mourning the loss of the life they left behind in their home countries.

“We can mourn the loss of dreams or an imagined future, or an old way of being before everything changed. We can mourn the loss of opportunities, of hope, or even our sense of identity as we navigate life’s challenges.”

No matter what it is you’re grieving – whether it’s someone or something – she says it will likely be a process that takes time to unfold, and won’t be the same from day to day.

“There are no fixed timelines for this process, and no unacceptable emotions. Ignoring or arguing with pain will not make it disappear. Instead, grief needs only two things from us: time and compassion,” says Tanja. “If we can find patience and compassion for our transition, however, change can be a precious opportunity to discover something about ourselves. Talking to a therapist is one way to receive support as you make meaning of your experience.”

Counselling connectz’s team of counsellors use a broad range of techniques to provide emotional and mental support to individuals of all ages who are struggling with grief and loss, and they have profound experience supporting couples who’ve experienced the loss of a baby.