How Grief Counseling Can Help with Loss

As humans, we experience a wide range of emotions, and grief is one of them. While grief is often tied to tangible things like money or a person, it can also come from intangible things. For example, the COVID-19 virus has forced businesses to close, students to learn from home and events to be cancelled. It’s normal to grieve the life and freedoms you once had. 

Thankfully, there are a number of resources available to help people deal with grief from the pandemic. Let’s learn more about what grief can look like and how grief counseling can help you manage your emotions. 

Coping with Loss and Grief During COVID-19

Grief is usually associated with death, dying, mourning and bereavement, but we experience this emotion whenever we have loss. So, if you haven’t been able to visit Mom in the nursing home or you’re missing out on your grandchild’s graduation, it’s normal to experience grief. 

Sometimes, people aren’t even aware that they’re experiencing grief. You might think that you’re just tired or irritable from all the change, but grief may be at the root of your feelings. 

By identifying grief, you can put your emotions into context and work on healing. 

Some of the most common losses that people are going through from the pandemic are: 

• Primary losses tied to major life events like the death of a loved one or loss of a job

• Secondary losses such as taking vacations, playing sports, socializing with friends or visiting the gym 

Embracing the Grieving Process 

If you are experiencing grief, it’s important to process these feelings and not suppress them. Give yourself time to mourn and come to terms with this new life. 

However, for those who have lost a loved one to COVID-19, it may be harder to grieve. Many families are practicing social distancing, and funeral homes are following all public health measures. The people you would normally grieve with may no longer be accessible. 

For these reasons, seeking grief counseling is incredibly important. You must find ways to stay connected to others, find meaning after loss and work on deepening your faith. 

From Grieving to Healing 

VNA Health Group offers grief counseling and bereavement support led by social workers and pastoral care members. We work with individuals and families to help them come to terms with their loss and retain a connection with their loved one. 

Benefits you can expect from our grief counseling program include: 

• Find comfort in positive memories 
• Understand the stages of grief
• Express your feelings without judgement 
• Heal at your own pace 
• Prevent loneliness and isolation 

If you are struggling with a loss due to COVID or another illness, contact VNA Health Group to learn more about our bereavement support services. This is a challenging time for everyone, but you do not have to go it alone.