by Melissa Crossley

Created on: August 13, 2009

Let's start off by understanding that therapy is not a bad thing. It can be very helpful to someone that needs this kind of help when dealing with situations that are difficult. But understand also that grief counseling is not always the best option for someone who has just lost a person in their lives.

For this kind of therapy to work, it takes time and patience. Like anything else, there is no such thing as a quick fix. Grief and sorrow are common feelings for you to experience during this time, and there is no short cut for you to take to go around this. It is something that you will need to deal with and learn to live with for the time being.

Grief counseling can be harmful only when you are working with a therapist that you are incompatible with. You are the only one that can determine which therapists will be good for you versus those that will only hurt you or make you feel worse than before you started going. There are also those who simply are not comfortable talking with strangers about something so personal. They feel that no one can understand what they are going through. If you are among those people, therapy might be a last resort for you.

Patience is key in getting through these times. You need to realize that the first therapist you see may not be a right fit for you, and you may need to make several appointments with different people before you find someone you like enough to share your thoughts and trust with everything you are going through. For the person that just lost someone, this may actually be a frustrating and seemingly hopeless situation to be in.

Another thing to realize right away is that one session, or even two or three sessions will not be enough to help you through this issue. You are dealing with the rawest emotion and the worse type of loss possible, so you cannot expect someone to fix it right away. Another option that people going through loss of this type is the group sessions. It's a chance for you to meet with others that are going through the same types of things are you are, but you also are not the center of attention like you would be in a therapy session.

Group would allow you to hear others stories and learn how they are getting through it and you can participate when you are ready to. Grief is a personal issue which you need to deal with in your own manner, doing only what you think will help you through it. If you try to leave it behind you without dealing with it, this can cause great harm to yourself in the long run.

If you attempt to do something because of others, you run the risk of harming yourself or doing things when you are not capable or ready to deal with them. Therapy can be harmful if you are not ready to face what is bothering you.

If you are dealing with the loss of someone close to you and have been dealing with this issue for a year or more, then it might be time to consider therapy as another alternative to find help.

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