Grief Counseling

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.. – Psalm 34:18

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. – Psalm 147:3

Grief can come in all sizes, shapes, and forms – often it is associated with the death of a loved one, but we can find ourselves grieving over many other losses as well. People suffer losses everyday – whether it is the loss of a relationship, a pet, a responsibility, a job, a dream. Many of these come unexpectedly, and can easily catch us off guard.

Experiencing loss can be extraordinarily difficult to bear and can bring all kinds of emotional and spiritual turmoil. And yet this turmoil does not need to be the pattern that defines your life. There is hope.

At Spokane Christian Counseling our counselors are ready to labor alongside you as you sort through your swirling emotions. We strive to direct your thoughts toward finding true peace and comfort through a better understanding of life, death, and the mercy of Christ. Through Bible-based guidance and professional bereavement counseling, we seek to instill strong elements of hope in your heart, even in the midst of unrelenting sadness.

Many people are able to deal with loss without professional help, but others feel so consumed by the experience of grief that they become trapped by it, unable to move forward with their lives.

When struggling with grief, or any other issue for that matter, we often go searching for answers to help us understand what we feel or to normalize our responses. In reality, everyone grieves in their own way and on their own timeline. There is no “magic formula” or “five-step program” to overcome grief. However, meeting regularly with a professional counselor can prove extremely valuable as you navigate this uncharted territory.

If you think you or a loved one might be stuck in grief or have turned to harmful behaviors as a way of dealing with grief, then it might be time for grief and loss counseling.

Contact one of our Christian grief counselors if you:

• Want a safe place to share the weight of your grief.
• Need someone to help you bear the burden you carry.
• Blame yourself for the loss.
• Find yourself stuck in spinning thoughts.
• Feel as if life is no longer worth living.
• Have suicidal thoughts.
• Feel disconnected from others for more than a few weeks.
• Have difficulty trusting others after the loss.
• Are unable to return to daily activities.

Many types of grief exist, and can surface depending on the nature of the situation and the circumstances surrounding the loss. Types of grief include, but are not limited to: normal grief, anticipatory grief, complicated grief, chronic grief, and delayed grief. This article on the website “What’s Your Grief?” lists many more types of grief. We’ll expand on three kinds below:

What is Anticipatory Grief?

Anticipatory grief is grief that occurs before a loss actually takes place. It can begin as soon as an impending loss becomes known. Whenever we learn that loss is a possibility or probability, it is natural to start grieving. People who experience anticipatory grief can feel intense anxiety or fear, an acute and constant sense of hyper-alertness, and dread.

Those familiar with anticipatory grief know that the grief does not solely visit because of a looming death, but can appear for the many losses that lead up to that death, such as the loss of physical abilities, cognitive awareness, future dreams, and hope.

Symptoms of Anticipatory Grief Can Include:

• Depression
• Forgetfulness
• Deep sadness and frequent crying
• Isolation
• Bouts of anger

What is Delayed Grief?

Delayed or unresolved grief can occur when emotions surrounding a loss are not sufficiently dealt with soon afterwards. Grief does not wait around for a convenient time and life does not have a pause button. In many circumstances, we’re forced to do the next thing – go to work, get the kids ready for school, meet that deadline, cook that meal. When we push on for the sake of survival and suppress or ignore our emotions in the process, bereavement takes a step back, and we can experience delayed grief.

Delayed grief can occur for any number of reasons, and may be triggered by the most unrelated events.

Symptoms of delayed grief can include:

• Shutting down
• Little to no emotion regarding the loss
• Anger
• Intentional distractions such as throwing yourself into work
• Addictions
• Living in the past
• Chronic depression

As with the other types of grief, our counselors are equipped to draw out your emotions in productive ways as necessary so you can move forward with your life as normally as possible.

What is Complicated Grief?

If you feel stuck in grief and are unable to function well from day to day, then you might be suffering from complicated grief. Complicated grief is a real condition, locking a person in grief with little to no improvement within a year of the loss.

Symptoms of Complicated Grief Include:

• Persistent, deep sadness.
• Yearning for the lost.
• Preoccupation with the lost person or circumstances surrounding the loss.
• Difficulty engaging in happy memories of the lost one.
• Avoidance of reminders of the lost one.
• Lost desire for participating in activities.
• Bitterness or irrational anger.

If you suffered a recent loss and want support, or if you can’t move past a loss that happened months or even years ago, the grief counselors at Spokane Christian Counseling are here to show you how to climb out of that pit of despondency.

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. – 1 Thessalonians 4:13

As Christians, one major benefit we have is hope in eternal life through Christ. You might ask, what if I lost a loved one who wasn’t a Christian? When this happens, we understand how you must feel and your counselor will help you work through the many emotions and concerns you have. Whatever the details of your loss, Christian grief counseling offers a compassionate place for you to process your experiences while offering tools to help you continue living a meaningful, God-honoring life.

Will I Ever Heal from Grief?

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. – Revelation 21:4

Everyone deals with grief in their own way. In reality, grief may be a lifelong companion. However, Christians can still look forward with eagerness to the time when there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain. In the meantime, sometimes the best thing is to have a neutral source to help carry your burden – someone who won’t try to suppress your emotions or force you to “move on.”

Through years of grief counseling, we have seen people find ways of dealing with even the most difficult losses, and we have faith that you will find what you need to cope more effectively with your loss.

Christian grief counseling can help you:

• Understand and work through grief.
• Learn coping mechanisms when waves of grief drown your thoughts.
• Adjust to life without the deceased.
• Look forward in eager anticipation to seeing your loved ones again and being at home with God.

At Spokane Christian Counseling, we approach grief and loss counseling with a faith-based perspective. During these times, having a place to turn where your beliefs are encouraged, where you can work through any questions you have about death, loss, and faith can be very beneficial and necessary for dealing with grief.

Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul, and body with grief. My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction and my bones grow weak. – Psalm 31:9

Any form of loss can be tragic, but when dealing with a sudden, violent, or some other traumatic loss, healing from grief can seem inconceivable. You might even struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder. If you experience any of the following symptoms of PTSD, get help right away.

Symptoms of PTSD Include:

• Reliving details of the traumatic event through memories, nightmares, and flashbacks.
• Avoiding people, places, or events that are reminders of the traumatic event.
• Emotional sensitivity, anger, fear, and feeling “jumpy.”
• Difficulty sleeping.

With time and the assistance of Christian counseling for grief and loss, you can learn to manage your emotions and regain control of your life. If you are struggling with a traumatic loss, then you might consider Christian trauma counseling.

At Spokane Christian Counseling, we’ve helped people rebuild after loss. Whether you think you might suffer from complicated grief or if you’ve recently suffered a loss and need additional support, our Christian grief counselors are here for you.

Learning to cope with grief is possible. Contact us to start Christian grief counseling today.

To learn more about grief counseling at Spokane Christian Counseling, we welcome you to contact us online or give us a call at 509-209-8961 to schedule your risk-free initial session.