One of the most difficult things in life is to lose a loved one. Although loss is a normal part of life, it is still very hard, and the process of grief could be excruciatingly painful. Loss does not necessarily mean the death of a loved one; it could mean divorce, miscarriage, serious illness, loss of a friendship, or loss of a job. In other words, the loss could be of someone or something or any part of yourself or your life. Different people react differently to the loss, and some people take longer than others to grieve.
The pain of losing something or someone could be overwhelming, and family counseling has proven to help grieving individuals move forward in life. Here are some other ways that family therapy can help:
New Meaning
Discussing the loss of a loved one with a family therapist helps those struggling make sense of what happened and make new meaning. A family counselor guides grieving individuals to celebrate the life of those who left and honor the relationship. Grief counseling provides a safe place for people to heal and rewrite the story of their loss.
Regulate Difficult Emotions
Family counseling helps grieving clients regulate the rollercoaster of emotions they are going through, such as sadness, anger, and despair. With the help of a family therapist, individuals become more equipped to manage fear or anxiety associated with the loss and become more resilient. Moreover, a family counselor develops coping strategies for clients to get through this tough time and address all the intense emotions.
Self-Care
Grief counseling helps individuals address their own needs that have probably been ignored due to the loss. In family therapy, struggling individuals learn to deal with grief without neglecting themselves by having more self-compassion and focusing on self-care without having to feel a sense of guilt or shame effectively. An important aspect of self-care is to accept help from others and reach out to others for support. Another important aspect of self-care that is highlighted in family counseling is the importance of taking care of yourself not only emotionally but also physically. Remember the mind and the body are connected; therefore, whatever you feel will affect you physically and vice versa.
Understanding the Grief Process
Family therapy provides awareness and understanding of the five different grief stages that are a very normal part of the process. These stages are
1) Denial
2) Anger
3) Bargaining
4) Depression
5) Accepting and letting go
Even though not all clients go through these five stages, when they develop their knowledge in family counseling, the healing experience becomes easier.
Talk to a Family Therapist Today
The pain of grief could be too much to handle, and so it is extremely advisable to talk to an experienced and professional family therapist today to help you. As the first and only ICEEFT certified EFT therapist in the United Arab Emirates and one of the leading pioneers of EFT in the Middle East region, I help individuals struggling with grief as well. Online counseling is really impactful so if you feel like speaking to a Family Counselor and doing family therapy at the convenience of your home, please contact me on ds@www.daliasheiha.com or WhatsApp me on +971502369395.