Grief Counseling

Losing someone you love, or a special companion animal, is one of the most challenging experiences anyone has to face. If you or your child suffers a loss and struggles to overcome it, visit Leon Sankofa, Sr., MSW, at Family & Youth Foundations in Hampton and Danville, Virginia. Dr. Sankofa and his team provide expert grief counseling that guides you through your loss to a brighter future. Call Family & Youth Foundations today or book an appointment online to arrange a grief counseling consultation.

What is grief counseling?

Grief counseling helps you overcome the loss of someone close. Grief consists of five stages:

Denial

Upon hearing someone has died, it’s common to have difficulty accepting the news. Your mind tries to protect you by making you think there must be a mistake.

Anger

When you understand the truth of your loss, anger can take over. You might cry, scream, and look for someone to blame.

Bargaining

Bargaining means praying or pleading to a higher power to undo the loss, promising anything — even your own life — in exchange.

Depression

Depression is often the most prolonged stage of grieving. You know you’re powerless to change what happened, feeling intense sadness and despair at the loss.

Acceptance

Acceptance is the first stage of recovery from grief. If you correctly process the negative emotions, you’ll eventually accept your loss and start rebuilding your life.

Most people go through these five stages of grief, although the order, intensity, and length of time vary.

Who benefits from grief counseling?

Anyone experiencing loss can benefit from the Family & Youth Foundations team’s expertise in grief counseling. No matter who you lose, they can help you navigate through your grief and find peace.

If you suffer a loss in your family, it’s important to remember that children also experience grief and can benefit from counseling. Children often express their grief differently than adults because they’re less able to say how they feel. Signs that they’re struggling with grief include:

• Crying more than usual
• Being clingy and unsettled
• Anger at the person who died
• Being very quiet
• Temper flares
• Sucking their thumb
• Losing confidence
• Bedwetting

Young children might not react at all when they hear about a death. They might not realize that death means never seeing someone again, or they need time to develop a response.

What does grief counseling involve?

A skilled grief counselor helps you recognize the loss and your feelings about it. They teach you positive ways to overcome grief without depending on alcohol, drugs, or food. Some therapies help you identify thoughts that make grief worse and reassess them.

Family & Youth Foundations offers expert hypnotherapy, taking you into a relaxed state where you can process your grief less painfully. This helps you overcome the intense distress and depression grief causes.

Call Family & Youth Foundations today or book an appointment online for compassionate grief counseling.