Grief Counseling

Grief and Loss Counseling in Columbia & Online in Missouri

 You’re tired of struggling and feeling alone in your grief.

Everything feels different now.

You think should feel better by now…but they don’t.

Losing someone hurts. It feels like a piece of you left with them. That person you shared pieces of your life with is no longer here. You may miss them so much it physically hurts. Maybe you feel so many things at once you can’t decide if you should shove your emotions to the side or scream and cry. Maybe you are numb and feel nothing at all.

Grief and Loss Counseling Can Help You in the Face of Loss

Love and grief are strands of the same rope. We do not “move on” from grief, we move forward with life changed from the loss of a person we cared for. People experience grief in different ways, and an outside perspective might be needed to help overcome the loss. Death and loss change us in ways we cannot understand until it has been experienced. And even when you experience a death, you may need someone to walk with you and help you understand the messy emotions.

The thing about grief is that everyone goes through it in a different way. Often the people you usually turn to for support in emotional situations are also grieving that same loss and cannot offer the outside perspective you need. We often hear that people appreciate speaking to a therapist about their loss because we’re not in the midst of our emotions about the loss.

A Counselor Can Walk with You Through Grief

A therapist can listen to your experience.  We can help you explore what is “normal” or expected with loss and bereavement.  Maybe you need help finding ways to honor your loved one and to still feel connected.  On the other hand, you may be looking for specific ways to begin slowly creating a new normal in your life.  Coping skills to help you begin to re-engage in the tasks of daily living.  We’re here for whatever you need.  Even if you aren’t sure what that is yet, a skilled grief counselor can help you uncover what will bring you comfort and strength right now.

We live in a world where death and loss are not often talked about. No matter who you have lost or what you are feeling, talking to someone can help. You deserve to be heard and to find meaning and transformation. A therapist can walk with you on this journey. Through grief counseling, you can find the strength to face your grief and honor your past while discovering meaning and purpose in your future. 

Symptoms of Grief

There is a wide range of what is “normal” in the face of grief. Despair. Anger. Hopelessness. Disbelief. Deep Sadness. Relief. Fear. All of these feelings are normal when someone you love dies. In fact, there are countless other ways you may be experiencing grief. Here are common ways people experience grief that may be a sign you would benefit from speaking to a grief counselor:

• Having trouble experiencing joy

• Being preoccupied with the loss, or thoughts of the deceased

• Feeling detached or numb

• Being irritable or bitter

• Physical feelings of soreness

• Fatigue

• Headaches

• Digestive problems

The Aspire Counseling Approach to Grief and Loss Counseling

No amount of counseling or therapy can bring back death or loss. But, we can help walk with you through your grief. We will focus on honoring the past, adapting to the present, and refining the future. Through grief and loss counseling, we can help you to explore new meaning in relationships, and also provide resources for dealing with grief. One online resource others have found helpful is The Grief Toolbox. The Legacies From the Living Room blog is written by a local professor & widow who lost her husband to head and neck cancer and talks about how cancer changed her life and how she has rebuilt since his death.