Grief & Loss

What is grief? And, what is prolonged grief disorder?

Grief is a natural response to a significant loss. This can include many types of losses, such as a loved one, child, pregnancy, or pet. It can also include major life transitions– like a job loss or move– or big adjustments (e.g., serious injury, significant change in mobility).

There is no right amount of time or way to grieve. Acute grief, or bereavement, refers to the grief immediately following a loss. During this period of time, common experiences include:

• Emotional Reactions

  • Intense sadness, disbelief, or emotional pain

  • Guilt, regret, or anger

  • Numbness or feeling detached

  • Longing or yearning for what was lost

• Cognitive & Behavioral Reactions

  • Denying or avoiding reminders of the loss– or feeling consumed by the loss and reminders of it

  • Difficulty keeping up with daily activities

  • Urges to isolate from others

  • Having a hard time concentrating or making decisions

  • Thoughts of death or suicide

• Physical Changes

  • Changes in eating, appetite, and sleep

  • Increased pain, headaches, or health problems

Prolonged Grief (PG), sometimes referred to as complicated grief, occurs when grief persists and continues to be very impairing or distressing for over a year after the loss. People can feel stuck in the grief, unable to cope with the intensity of the grief or adapt to the impact of the loss [1]. While there is not necessarily an end to grief, there are tools and resources that can help individuals to cope, heal, and adapt to life after loss.

Evidence-Based Treatments

Evidence-based psychological treatments are interventions that are backed by science. The treatments with the most support for grief & loss include [2]:

• For acute grief:

  • Supportive psychotherapy

  • Third-wave cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), including techniques from:

    • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

    • Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)

    • Mindfulness-Based Therapies

  • Community supports (e.g., friends, family, grief groups)

• For prolonged grief:

  • Prolonged Grief Therapy (PGT) - previously called Complicated Grief Therapy (CGT)

Reading & Workbooks

Information

• Center for Prolonged Grief [Free handouts!]

• When Grief Won’t End, Columbia Magazine

• On Grief & Grieving by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, MD, & David Kessler

• The Grieving Body & The Grieving Brain by Mary-Frances O’Connor, PhD

Self-Help & Workbooks

• It’s OK that you’re NOT OK by Megan Devine

• How to Grieve What We’ve Lost by Russ Harris and colleagues

• Finding Meaning: Sixth Stage of Grief Workbook by David Kessler

Child & Pregnancy Loss

• Empty Cradle, Broken Heart by Deborah David, PhD

• The Unexpected: Navigating Pregnancy During and After Complications by Emily Oster and Nathan Fox, MD

• The Unspeakable Loss by Nisha Zenoff, PhD

Relevant Organizations

• Columbia Center for Prolonged Grief

• For Suicide Loss Survivors:

  • American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

• For Perinatal Loss:

  • Postpartum Support International: Loss & Grief

  • Perinatal Support Washington: Loss Resources

Find a Provider

I know how important it is to find the right provider.

I offer individual therapy for those navigating grief and loss. If you think we might be a good fit, learn more about me and my practice, or get in touch to schedule a free, 15-minute consult call.

Looking for something else? There are many ways to find a provider. The following directories are resources that can help locate a provider who focuses on grief/loss, and meets the criteria you are looking for (e.g., insurance coverage, location, therapies offered):

• Center for Prolonged Grief: Find a Therapist

• ABCT: Find a CBT Therapist

• Psychology Today