Should I Use Free Grief Counseling Near Me? Where Can I Find It?
Some of our lowest times can be those that are spent in grief or grieving. While it’s perfectly normal and often possible to work through the stages of grief and grieve on your own, sometimes it’s helpful to have a grief counselor or grief support group to walk you through the process and support you with your grief.
You may find that you want to work with a local grief counselor, but you’re unsure how to find one. Another option is to find online grief support, though you may be wondering how effective it is and if online therapy for grief is right for you. We’ll cover that throughout this article.
What is the definition of grief?
It’s helpful to have a good understanding of what grief is. Grief is an intense period of mourning following a loss, such as that caused by a death. Some people think of grief as sadness, but it’s more than that.
Symptoms of grief can include:
Despair
Anger and irritability
Depression
Deep sadness
Fear
Guilt
Helplessness
Numbness
Isolation
It’s important to remember that everyone handles situations in life differently. While some may take these situations in stride, others will experience intense grief. Grief and grief support will also look different for everyone; thinking that grief is supposed to look one specific way can make it hard for you to identify when you are experiencing it if your symptoms aren’t what you think they are “supposed” to be.
Options for no cost grief counseling and/or support groups
Many people think of paying a therapist when they think of counseling. And that’s a very effective way to get help with your grief. However, there are also options for free grief counseling that can help you as well. Here are some of the options.
Hospice
Hospice is a term used for the care given to those that are terminally ill in their last few years, months, or weeks. Hospice workers can offer support for the families when a patient passes away as well. Those that take advantage of the counseling may be able to receive free counseling for a year or slightly more after the death of a family member or loved one. This can be incredibly helpful as you work through “firsts” without your loved one.
TAPS National Military Survivor Helpline
TAPS is a great place for military service members to get therapy when they cannot meet in person with a counselor. This could be because they are just not comfortable talking to someone face-to-face, or it could be because it’s 1 am, and there’s no one awake to talk to. This hotline has someone waiting to answer your call 24 hours a day.
You can reach it at 800-959-TAPS (8277).
College or school counselor
Many times, schools, colleges, and universities provide free counseling for students. If you’re in school and have experienced an event that has left you living with grief, reach out to your school to see what options are available to you. There may be options for one-on-one counseling sessions or even group sessions that you can attend.
Churches
If you attend a church, there’s a good chance that there is an option for free grief counseling. It could be through a pastor or priest or with a trained church goer. During difficult times, your faith can help you find support and community.
If you don’t have a church you attend, many will also allow you to counsel one pastor. Contact churches in your area to find an option that works for you.
Funeral homes
Funeral homes are experienced in dealing with grief; many have created options for free grief counseling. And, if they don’t have any counseling that they offer, they may be able to provide you with options in your local area. If you’re dealing with grief, you can try contacting a local funeral home to see what’s available to you.
Group therapy
You may be able to find group therapy in your area that deals directly with grief. A simple search of “free grief counseling near me” online can help turn up the available results. You can also try searching the term “bereavement group” to see if that brings up any options for you.
Is this therapy effective?
You may be wondering if free grief therapy can really be effective. The simple answer yes. Bereavement counseling has been found to have a long-term benefit for those that participate. Many groups or therapists will have exercises or recommendations on things that you can do to help with the stage that you’re at. Sometimes the only thing that you’ll be able to handle is simply showing up and listening, and that’s OK too.
How bereavement therapy helps
When you are experiencing grief, it can be easy to feel like you’re alone in your struggles. It can be incredibly helpful during grief therapy to find out that the symptoms you’re experiencing are normal. Sometimes just knowing this is enough to provide you with a little bit of comfort and support while grieving.
During grief counseling, you can also learn strategies that you can use to help you work through the stages of grief. Sometimes you need someone helping you to continue moving through the process so you don’t get stuck on one stage.
And, sometimes, you need someone to listen to you. It may be that you’re still sorting out your emotions and feelings and need a sounding board to list to you and help validate your feelings. Or, it may be that you want the reassurance of having a listening ear. There are many difficult things that you can go through when you’re experiencing grief.
For example, if you are grieving over the death of a loved one or the ending of a long-term relationship, you will have to go through all of the first holidays without that other person. It may be difficult to decide how to handle things like holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries if you don’t have the guidance of an experienced professional. You may feel like forgetting all about the holidays for the year, but grief counseling can help you work through that and find a healthy way to move forward.
Try online therapy
Online counseling services like those offered by Regain can make it easy and convenient to get the grief counseling you need, especially if it affects your relationship with your significant other. It’s what works best for you.
Sometimes grief can be overwhelming and makes it hard to get through your daily task, and the idea of going to sit in a therapist’s office may seem like it’s just too much. If you’re feeling this way, then online counseling might be the best option for you. And, it allows you to contact your therapist when you need their assistance instead of waiting for days or weeks to get an appointment.
Therapist reviews
“Michelle has been a wonderful listening ear as I have worked through the grief of losing my mother and issues in my relationship. She is very calm and understanding, letting me talk through my thoughts and not condemning at all. I have appreciated her responding to me in a timely manner, especially when I wasn't expecting a response.”
“Buddy helped us get through a rough patch of our relationship. He listened to both sides and helped us bridge the gap. He is extremely compassionate, understanding, and empathetic. He has a wide scope of experience and was able to provide insight into other topics as well, such as grief and loss. Talking to Buddy feels like talking to a good friend who really cares about you. I am so thankful to Buddy for how he helped us, and I highly recommend him to anyone looking for a counselor.”
Meet Our Therapists
Lindsay Burke - Board-Certified Marriage and Family Therapist, Lifecoach
Lynn Salsbury - LCSW,MSW
Sam Jenkins - MSW,MFA,LCSW
Gina Found - MA, Board-Certified Marriage and Family Therapist
Eric Anderson - LMFT,CSAT
Carla Noto-Vencill - MA,LMFT
Cynthia Wiedemann - LMFT
Terry Brewer - LCSW
Catherine Wilson - LMHC
Takeaway
There’s no denying that grief is difficult to work through. But the last thing you want is to get stuck in your grief. Attending counseling can help you see what steps you can take to work past your grief healthily.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
What is the best kind of therapy for grief?
There isn’t necessarily one best form of therapy for grief, as every individual is different, including the patient and therapist or counselor. That said, finding mental health professionals that specialize in grief services and who offer grief support is a good idea. They will be able to dig into the psychology of grief and break down the grieving process for you, which will enable you to work on your grief more effectively.
Is a grief counselor the same as a therapist?
A grief counselor may be a therapist, but if so, they are one that specializes in grief and related topics. They may offer grief services for families, for children, etc. They may provide special resources related to grief, including community resources or recommendations for other mental health professionals. A grief counselor will generally be specialized in the psychology of grief, whereas a general therapist may not have that specific focus.
Is it too late to go to grief counseling?
It’s never really too early or late to go to grief counseling. Whether your loved one is in hospice care or they died long ago, grief counseling can be beneficial, especially if you have mental health concerns.
Mental health professionals, such as those that specialize in the mental health impact of grief, will be trained to help you better understand the psychology of grief and how you can improve your mental health.
Can grief be cured?
It isn’t necessarily a good idea to seek a cure for grief. This is because grief is a natural process that generally improves with time. That said, if you have a severe impact on your mental health due to grief, it may be a good idea to look into the help offered by mental health professionals. They will help you better understand the psychology of grief and improve your own mental health as you go through the process of grieving.
How long does traumatic grief last?
Trauma means “wound,” from Greek. Traumatic grief can cause a psychic wound that can profoundly affect your psychology. This is why enlisting mental health professionals can be vital for overcoming traumatic grief. Your mental health will improve over time, and working with mental health professionals can accelerate the process.
How do you cope with grief?
Coping with grief depends on many factors. How well did you know the person? How familiar are you already with the psychology of grief? Grief is a process that tends to work itself out over time. That said, if you are having significant mental health issues with grief, then it may be in your best interest to seek the help of a mental health expert.
How long does mourning last?
There is no fixed period on how long to mourn the death of a loved one. Some cultures have a mandatory period of time to observe grief, but ultimately, the emotional turmoil triggered by loss is deeply personal. Mourning could last weeks, months, and even years, but there are no rules to the process, and it's normal to find yourself feeling sad or disorientated once again after thinking you are free of your feelings of grief or loss.
However, if you find yourself being overwhelmed by mourning, therapy is one of the many ways you can recover from loss. Grief therapy aims to identify and solve physical, emotional, social, and cognitive responses to loss. Another way to recover from loss is attending free support groups with other individuals also in mourning.
What does it do to your brain?
When grieving, it's almost impossible to think about anything else but pain, guilt, and regret. You find yourself unable to concentrate, and your ability to plan and organize becomes muddled and distorted. These things take a psychological toll on the mind, leading to neurological changes in the brain. Grief over-burdens parts of the brain responsible for emotion, attention, and memory, like the amygdala, the hippocampus, the cerebellum, and the prefrontal cortex, which can trigger hormonal disruptions and comprise the nervous system. This alters the way the brain functions and makes it more sensitive to threats in grief resistance. This is one reason why during the loss process, counseling becomes imperative in helping to restore the mind to a healthy state of balance and clarity.
How do you accept the loss of a loved one?
Complicated grief can make it tough to experience acceptance, but that day will come.
Acceptance is often the last step in the road to recovery, so practice patience and self-compassion when trying to accept the loss of a loved one.
For professional assistance, you can consider trying grief counseling whenever you’re ready to talk about your feelings. You might also consider other resources, like free grief support groups, to feel more empowered and less alone.
For many, the key to moving on from loss is simple: time. Though there are many steps you can take to help you manage your emotions and heal from loss, time is often necessary to help you distance yourself from the event.
Be patient with yourself, and recognize that you might have both good and bad days. You’re likely stronger than you think, though, especially if you take it upon yourself to deliberately work on self-care and self-improvement.
How soon should you start bereavement Counselling?
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