Grief Counseling

What is Grief Counseling or Therapy for Loss?

Grief Counseling or Psychotherapy for Loss is a form of therapy that helps individuals to cope with the emotional, physical, social, spiritual and cognitive distress that can be associated with the death of a loved one. Licensed therapists and psychologists undergo specific training in helping individuals to navigate the grieving process, and while there are general “stages of grief,” no two individuals experience loss in the same way. This is why working with a provider with specific training in bereavement, who will spend time to understand your unique circumstances and be empathic to your needs, is important to your healing process.

Who May Benefit from Grief Counseling?

If an individual is experiencing difficulty with their emotional or physical health, after the loss of a loved one, they would likely benefit from grief counseling or therapy for their loss. Some additional symptoms that may indicate the need for additional support include (but are not limited to):

• Insomnia or sleep disturbances
• Increased feeling of anxiety
• Feelings of guilt
• Difficulty engaging with friends or family, or difficulty being present when engaging in activities that one would normally enjoy
• Changes in appetite and/or fluctuations in weight
• Changes in attention, or decreased ability to focus on school, work, or other responsibilities
• Feelings of hopelessness
• Suicidal thoughts
  • If someone has suicidal thoughts and is in any danger of self-harm, it’s incredibly important to call 911 or 988, do not wait for an appointment.

Isn’t it Normal to Feel Sad After the Loss of a Loved One?

Sadness is certainly a normal part of the grieving process. However, if an individual is unable to properly care for themselves, unable to handle their typical personal, familial, school or occupational responsibilities, has difficulty engaging with friends or family, or displays any of the symptoms listed above (in bullets), they would likely benefit from the additional support of Grief Counseling or Bereavement Therapy.

What Does Grief Counseling Look Like?

Grief Counseling and Bereavement Therapy can involve individual and/or group psychotherapy. At Rittenhouse Psychiatric Associates, we are able to provide individual therapy with our expert clinicians, and if group therapy is indicated, our providers can help to make appropriate referrals and/or provide resources for additional services.

Typically a patient will have a 60-90 minute session with one of our licensed therapists or doctoral level psychologists, and then will have 45-60 minute therapy sessions every 1-2 weeks, during the course of their treatment. Patient often will have weekly visits for about a month, then move to every 2 weeks for another 1-2 months. Depending on a patient’s unique circumstance and the severity of their symptoms, grief counseling could be shorter, or longer, in duration.

While Grief Counselors and Therapists are not able to prescribe medications, our therapists are able to coordinate care with the psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners at Rittenhouse. If a patient would prefer to work with a prescriber outside of our practice, we will be happy to collaborate with that individual as well, with a signed release. Grief Counseling is a non-medication option for treatment. However, if a patient’s symptoms are severe, our providers will be open about their recommendations for additional services.

Why Schedule Grief Counseling at Rittenhouse Psychiatric Associates?

The providers at Rittenhouse Psychiatric Associates are academically oriented providers, most of whom teach, or have taught, at local academic institutions. Our providers are Board Certified Psychiatrists and Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners and we have several licensed and doctoral level therapists and psychologists, who have specific training in providing Grief Counseling, Bereavement therapy, and Psychotherapy for Loss.

• Academically Oriented providers, most of whom teach, or have taught, at local Academic Institutions
• Appointments generally available within 2 weeks.
• In-office and online Virtual Appointments for Grief Counseling.
• Serving most states via PSYPACT licensing.