Aellyce

This topic may not technically belong in this forum but I think I will probably receive more responses here so I hope it's not a problem to put it here.

There are lots of discussions on loss and grief here on SR and occasionally grief counseling is mentioned as support after the death of a loved one. I have recently lost my father and have already decided I'll do this, but I thought I would ask people's experiences here as this is a form of treatment I know little about even on the theoretical level. Of course I can read up on it in more depth, but would be quite interested in personal shares. What form have you tried? Did you find it helpful? If so, in which ways?

Anna

Our Grief & Loss forum has good information in the stickies.

I have relied on that information myself in the last couple of years after my father died.

PurpleKnight

Very sorry to hear of your loss Aellyce!!

When my dad died I didn't go to any counselling but all the info Anna shared has been a great help!!

Aellyce

Thanks Anna, for some reason I completely forgot to look at the stickies there.

ArtFriend

I should have gotten grief counseling when my mom died, but I didn't. I don't have any personal experience with it, but I know it is very helpful.

Soberwolf

I think it takes a massive step to get help for our grief, saying that i am only in the beginning stages of getting help for mine so i cant really say how it went untill its starts

Really all i can say is sorry for your loss of your father & if you ever want to talk you can send a msg if you like

least

My addiction counselor helped me a lot after mom died last summer. It was good to have someone to talk to about it.

Aellyce

Thanks everyone. I have zero fear or resistance to try this straight away as I've had fantastic experience with therapy in the past nearly 1.5 year, especially in the most recent several months. So I am already in individual therapy that I don't plan to stop anytime soon, and I am sure it'll be helpful for this as well (it has already been). But the thing is, I have so many different things to discuss and explore all the time in my sessions that always feel short... I don't want them to be too strongly focused on this although we'll see, one thing I love about it is the complete freedom to drift wherever and speak as freely as I have probably never done in my life, with someone who has the ability and willingness to give feedback in the same way. So it'll actually be interesting to see how much I naturally want to talk about my dad and related feelings.

What I plan to get into now for shorter term is a group thing in addition to the individual ongoing therapy, where I could also interact with other people in similar situations. What I am not sure though is if right now is the best time to do this for me... something I can certainly discuss with my current therapist and with the providers of the grief groups.

I'm very sorry for all those that have undergone or are currently going through similar experiences

Verte

Are you in the city, Aellyce? An artist named Carrie Ahern has studied and discussed the subject extensively, is very approachable and may be an excellent resource for you.

I have benefitted extensively form connection with others in the right setting at the right time.

Aellyce

Oh my, Verte... thanks so much for this suggestion. How did I never heard of her?! She seems absolutely like someone I would probably like and something I would love to try. Was already worth posting this thread just for this!

Anna

I think this is very important, Alleyce. I know that I expected my feelings to be different than they were. I had a lot of anger towards my father when he died and, though I felt a huge loss at the time, it wasn't until many months later when I actually began to go through the grieving process.

Aellyce

Will definitely ask for help with this. I'm not the best person to give justice to my emotional processes while in the middle of it, no matter how I want to think I know it all.

Aellyce

I think I will need a form of this grief help now, although not sure the most conventional approaches. I keep going on and on and in all sorts or circles and perspectives in my head. Also lots and lots of disturbing imagery. I went to work this morning, our group had a good meeting, but then I met individually with that student again... the student whose world is seemingly just falling apart. She's a former heroin addict and has many mental health issues all over the map.
And then deadline for a grant resubmission this week... I have work invitations in other cities next week, and, and...