Grieving is a normal part of all of our lives. Everyone experiences it. Grieving symbolizes a loss of someone or something that we have once formed an attachment with. It means we must “let go” of something or someone that we had grown accustomed to or loved.
Engaging in outpatient psychotherapy is an important step toward the healing process from any loss. First, you have to accept the loss and really grieve it before you can come to peace with “loss” and let go.
Types of Grieving/Bereavement may include
- Childhood bereavement- a child losing a parent, grandparent, another family member, friend, or pet.
- Death of a child- this includes loss during infancy: stillborn, miscarriage, abortion, a neonatal death like SIDS, or the death of an older or adult child.
- Death of a spouse, parent, or sibling
- Other losses- a divorce (including losing custody of your children), a breakup of a relationship, losing a job, “letting go” of an addiction or eating disorder, experiencing “empty nest syndrome” when the children have grown and no longer live at home, pet loss or the tremendous loss after a house fire. These are just a few examples of typical losses that many people experience.