Be the things you loved most about the people who are gone.
Grief Counseling for Teens and Adults in Milwaukee
Most of us will experience grief at some point in our lives — but that doesn’t mean you have to deal with it alone. Our team of grief counselors in Milwaukee are here for you.
While we usually associate grief with the loss of a loved one, it’s important to recognize that grief can follow all sorts of losses: job loss, break-ups, pets, and any other major life transition. Bereavement counseling can help you make sense of your feelings, no matter which type of loss you’re going through.
Common Grief Symptoms Include:
- Intense and persistent longing or pining for the deceased.
- Numbness or detachment, feeling like you’re living in a “fog.”
- Bitterness and anger about your loss.
- Difficulty concentrating or thinking clearly at work, investing in other relationships or completely engaging in your life.
- Feeling afraid that your memories of your loved one will become forgotten.
- Dreading upcoming holidays, family get-togethers or any other events.
- Extreme focus on reminders of the loved one or excessive avoidance of reminders.
- Feeling that life has no meaning or purpose.
Our Approach To Grief:
We all grieve differently. After experiencing a loss, you might feel broken. However, we’re here to remind you that you have an innate ability to feel whole — and nothing, not even grief and loss, can ever take that from you.
YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE “FIXED.” AFTER ALL, NOTHING CAN FILL THE PLACE OF WHO OR WHAT YOU LOST. THAT’S NOT THE GOAL OF BEREAVEMENT COUNSELING.
Through the utilization of the Five Stages of Grief, we will address your reactions to grief and will meet you with compassion and a safe space to process and reflect. Honoring the entirety of your grief experience will help you move forward in your life. That doesn’t mean forgetting the person, place, pet, or experience you lost; instead, our holistic approach to bereavement counseling will help you integrate your grief rather than letting it consume you.
Our therapists will help you identify, understand, and develop effective methods for coping and managing your grief during a time of loss, change, and transition. We use an integrative approach allows you to release unhelpful thoughts, find coping strategies and make room for what serves you instead.
Grief can be lonely to travel, but you don’t have to do it alone.
How does grief counseling work?
Grief counseling typically consists of 50-minute one-on-one sessions designed to help you address your concerns and work through challenges. Our counselors combine active listening with insights from research to help you understand what’s happening and explore the thoughts, feelings, family history, and environmental factors contributing to your anxiety.
Here’s what you can expect:
- A Safe, Supportive Space: From the start, we create a welcoming, non-judgmental environment where you’ll feel comfortable sharing your struggles.
- Understanding Your Story: By hearing about your life history and experiences, we begin to gain a clear understanding of your unique challenges.
- Tackling Immediate Concerns: We’ll start by helping you manage difficult emotions and navigate challenging situations you may be facing right now.
- Identifying Your Goals: Together, we’ll explore what you want to achieve in therapy and in life, helping you set meaningful goals.
- Building a Roadmap for Progress: With your personal goals in mind, we’ll develop a plan to help you reach them, using proven therapeutic techniques.
- Ongoing Improvement: Over time, you’ll begin to notice positive changes in how you think, feel, and behave.
Research shows that grief counseling can lead to lasting changes in your thoughts, beliefs, emotions, and behaviors, helping you overcome what’s holding you back from living a more fulfilling life.
How long does grief counseling usually last?
We don’t have a requirement for a specific number of therapy sessions that you have to attend. The length of therapy varies based on individual needs, goals, and the issues being addressed.
We recommend that you plan to engage in weekly therapy sessions for about 12 to 16 weeks. This consistent approach helps build a strong foundation for exploring your history, understanding the origins of your grief, gaining insight into yourself, and developing a personalized plan with effective coping strategies.
After that initial period, depending on your progress and the severity of your symptoms, the frequency of sessions may be adjusted.
Some clients may reduce to bi-weekly sessions, while others may continue with weekly sessions if needed. Your therapist will work with you to tailor the treatment plan based on your needs and goals.
Is grief counseling only for those who have experienced a loss of a loved one?
No, anyone who has experienced any kind of loss may benefit from grief counseling. This could be the loss of a loved one. But, it could also be job loss, a breakup, a pet, or more abstract losses. This may be an event such as the loss of financial security or the loss of identity.
Losses can also come from what may seem like a positive life change. For example, a parent of adult children may be excited for their children to move out of the home and start their own life. But, they can also mourn the loss of the parenting role they once had.
What are the five stages of grief?
The Kübler-Ross model outlines five stages of grief — denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. While these stages can help explain common emotions, grief isn’t a linear process. You may move in and out of these stages in any order, and that’s completely normal. There’s no “right” way to grieve.
A grief counselor can help you understand and navigate your unique experience.
