Grief and loss

Loss changes everything. The world carries on, but you have come to a stop. Or perhaps you feel nothing at all, while you think you should be grieving. There is no right or wrong in grief, but sometimes you need someone to look at it with you.

Do you recognise this?

  • Your loss dominates your daily life, even after a long time
  • You feel guilty, angry or numb, and do not know what 'normal' is
  • The people around you no longer understand why you are still grieving
  • You avoid memories, or the opposite: you cannot let them go
  • You function on autopilot but feel empty
  • You feel that your life has come to a standstill
  • You have physical symptoms connected to your sadness

What is grief and loss?

Grief is the natural response to loss. It can follow the death of someone close to you, but also the loss of a relationship, a job, your health or a stage of life. Grief is not a problem to be solved. It is a process to be lived through.

Even so, grief can get stuck. If the sadness does not change, if you still cannot function after months or years, or if you feel caught in one phase, professional support can help you start moving again.

Grief that has got stuck does not mean you are doing it wrong. It means the loss is so large that you need extra support. Together we make room for your sadness, and for the life that carries on.

Symptoms of grief and loss

Emotional reactions

  • Intense sadness that comes in waves
  • Anger, guilt or regret
  • Emotional numbness, or the sense of feeling nothing
  • Fear of the future without the person you lost
  • Longing and searching for the person

Physical reactions

  • Fatigue and loss of energy
  • Sleep problems, or sleeping too much
  • Changes in appetite
  • Chest pain or a lump in your throat
  • Lower resistance to illness

Changes in behaviour

  • Withdrawing socially
  • Avoiding places or activities that remind you of the loss
  • Difficulty with everyday routines
  • Clinging to the belongings of the person who died

Do you recognise several of these symptoms? Book a free intro call and talk through what you are experiencing.

Treatment

Grief support gives you a safe space to work through your loss. The aim is not to take the sadness away, it is to learn to live with it.

Room for your story

You get the space to tell your story, as often as you need to. No time pressure, and no judgement about how you 'should' be grieving.

Tasks of grief (Worden's model)

We work with the idea that grief involves active tasks: accepting the reality, feeling the pain, adjusting to a world without them, and finding a new place for the loss.

Cognitive processing

Guilt, 'what if' thoughts and beliefs that hold you back are examined carefully and adjusted where needed.

Rebuilding daily life

Step by step we rebuild structure and meaning in your life, without denying the loss.

How long treatment takes

Grief keeps to no fixed timetable. How long the support lasts depends on what you need.

Short-term (6-10 sessions)

For a recent loss, or when you need support through the grieving process. Focused on living through the sadness and on practical coping.

Longer programme (12-20 sessions)

For grief that has got stuck, for complicated grief reactions, or when the loss touches older patterns.

The treatment lengths given here are a guide. Every programme runs differently, and we tune the treatment to your own situation and needs.

Curious what a course of treatment costs? See the prices per session and what your insurer or employer may cover.

See the prices

When to seek help

Consider professional help if you recognise the following:

  • Your grief is not easing after months, and it affects how you function day to day
  • The people around you no longer understand how you feel
  • You feel guilty, or stuck in your sadness
  • You avoid everything connected with the loss
  • You have thoughts that life without the person you lost is meaningless
  • The loss brings up older pain or patterns

What you can do yourself

Grieving is personal. There is no 'right' way. But this can help:

Room for sadness

  • Allow yourself to feel what is there, even when it is uncomfortable
  • Write letters to the person you miss
  • Create moments or rituals to stop and be with the loss

Keeping structure

  • Keep a basic rhythm: eating, sleeping, moving
  • Plan small, manageable activities
  • Do not force yourself to 'act normal again', but do give your days some structure

Connection

  • Talk about your loss with someone who really listens
  • Look for a support group with people going through the same thing, if that suits you
  • Be honest with the people around you about what you need

Grieving is not weakness. It is love that has nowhere left to go. If you get stuck, you are allowed to ask for help with that.

Frequently asked questions about grief and loss

There is no fixed period. For some people the most intense symptoms ease after months, for others it takes longer. What matters is not how long you grieve, but whether you get stuck. If you still cannot function after a long time, it is advisable to get support.

Absolutely. Grief can follow any significant loss: a divorce, the end of a friendship, your health, a job, a wish for children that was never fulfilled, or a stage of life that is over. Every kind of loss deserves to be acknowledged.

Yes. Emotional numbness is a common grief reaction. It is a way your brain protects you. In therapy we gradually make room for the feelings that lie underneath it.

The people around you mean well, but grief has no deadline. At the same time, being stuck in grief can narrow your life. Therapy helps you find your own pace, not someone else's.

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