by Rachelle de Bretagne

Created on: July 11, 2009

Loss is hard to swallow. At some time in our lives we come across situations which are hard to handle. Grief is a very difficult thing to discuss with friends and family, since everyone involved in the life of the person who has died will have their own opinions, feelings and emotions which often tangle with your own, making it impossible to seek the solace of people too close to the situation. At times those near and dear ones who mean such good things are not those who you need to talk to. Bereavement counseling works, simply because it distances the patient and allows them to talk freely about their loss.

*Opening up.

*Being allowed to grieve.

*Taking off that brave face.

*Getting to grips with emotions.

*Moving beyond grief to acceptance.

Opening up.

No-one really knows what to expect when they visit a bereavement counselor. How can a stranger possibly understand the depths of feelings an individual feels. Often the bereaved person will avoid having counseling as they see it as showing some kind of weakness. In actual fact the opposite is true and it takes a certain amount of strength and resolve to face up to difficult situations and come to grips with the way that the individual feels. The counselor gives the individual the space they need to talk. They may not be accustomed to that one individual, though their training and experience means that they are well versed in the art of listening, and this is the most important element of grief counseling.

Being allowed to grieve.

Often those who lose a loved one remain strong for the sake of those around them. This isn't the best way to be, but it is how people themselves cope. Locking up those feelings can be a huge mistake since the actual process of grief can be delayed. By allowing yourself space to visit a bereavement counselor, you are giving yourself permission to step outside of the comfort barriers where your feelings are put on the back shelf for others. The counselor will allow you to let out those emotions which are vital to the acceptance stage of loss.

Taking off that brave face.

A bereavement counselor will let you take off the brave face you use for others. Take advantage of that time spent with them. After a short while of getting to know them, you will be able to trust them with those feelings you hide from those you love. Protecting others may help you to give the appearance of coping, though truly coping means facing up to the unhappiness inside and

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