Learning to Live After Loss
oss is almost universal. At one point or another, you might experience the death of a loved one, a harmful breakup, or the conclusion of a career chapter. You might lose a friendship, complete a significant project, or even move to a new country, leaving a piece of yourself behind. Or, you may lose your sense of direction, identity, and purpose.
If this sounds like you, please know you’re not alone.
Grief is a natural reaction to loss that may bring nostalgia, anger, fear, and hopelessness. Everyone weathers grief in different ways; some losses hurt more, some take longer to feel at peace with, and some don’t feel it until time has passed.
No matter where your pain stems from or how long you’ve been carrying it, therapy for grief and loss can help.
The Beverly Hills Therapy Group offers therapy for grief and loss and other psychological services to the Beverly Hills area—including West Hollywood, Culver City, Los Angeles, and Santa Monica. Our goal is to connect the ideal therapist with the ideal client—you!—so you can reach inner wellness.
Your grief is valid, and we want to help you navigate it so you can continue to write your story.
Contact us today to book a free consult. Or, read on to learn more about how therapy for grief and loss can support you.
What is Therapy for Grief and Loss?
Therapy for grief and loss is a psychotherapy treatment designed to address unhealthy grief after experiencing loss. This includes losing someone (e.g., the death of a loved one or a pet, ending a romantic relationship or friendship) or something (e.g., losing a job, good health, sense of identity, or safety).
Grief may occur in phases as you come to terms with your loss. Here are the five common stages of grief according to Kübler-Ross’s model:
Denial
When you first learn of your loss, you might feel shocked or numb. You might even refuse to believe what happened as you try to deal with the overwhelming rush of emotions.
Anger
As you adjust to your loss, pain comes knocking. You may feel frustrated, helpless, and outraged by the situation. You might need to express anger to others, a higher power, or life in general.
Bargaining
This is when you dwell on the “what if” thoughts. You might recall mistakes or regrets connected to the loss. You might also reflect on what you could have done differently to prevent this from happening—even if the situation was entirely outside of your control.
Depression
Reality starts to sink in. You are faced up close with your loss and its impact on your life, which can trigger utter sadness and loneliness. You might experience sleep issues, decreased appetite, and less interest in what you used to enjoy.
Acceptance
Lastly, you come to terms with your loss. Acceptance does not mean your pain is gone—it means you can take in your loss and move forward without resisting it or attempting to change it.
No matter where you are in these stages of grief, therapy for grief and loss can help you:
• Identify and shift unhelpful thinking patterns
• Find ways to navigate pain associated with loss
• Encourage awareness and curiosity
• Regain purpose and direction
Do You Need Therapy for Grief and Loss?
While grief is a common emotional response to loss, sometimes it can get in the way of carrying on with your life. When that happens, what once was healthy grief turns into unhealthy or dysfunctional grief.
Some common signs of unhealthy grief include:
• Avoiding reminders or confronting the loss
• Experiencing pain that prevents you from working, studying, or playing
• Having trouble eating, sleeping, or taking care of yourself
• Feeling or expressing anger and irritability
• Suffering from guilt or shame connected to the loss
No one should go through this alone. And you certainly don’t have to. Our team of compassionate therapists is here to help you find ways to address unhealthy grief and start living your life again.
How Can Therapy for Grief and Loss Help You?
Therapy for grief and loss is not about fixing a problem or erasing the pain. It’s about allowing yourself to address and explore grief in a healthy way so you can enjoy a meaningful life.
Therapy for grief and loss will provide you with:
Emotional Support
Therapy is your refuge for emotional support and care. You can count on your therapist to help you handle an anticipated, current, or past loss and to support you along your grief journey as you carry these difficult feelings.
A Safe Space to Process
Therapy offers a private and judgment-free space to process and reflect on your loss. This haven allows you to share your thoughts and emotions at your own pace, feel seen and validated, and gain new insights about yourself.
Strategies to Cope and Grieve
Your therapist will show you healthy coping and grieving mechanisms to deal with loss, tailored to your unique needs. The goal is to lay a foundation of self-care that you can continue to build upon as you progress on your healing path.
What Is Therapy Like at The Beverly Hills Therapy Group?
The Beverly Hills Therapy Group offers many psychotherapy and custom treatments to millennials, new parents, entertainment professionals, and other residents of Beverly Hills and its surrounding communities.
Think of us as a boutique for your mind. Our focus is to find your ideal therapist, someone who makes you feel seen and heard, and can help you live again.
Our specialized team has expertise in various modalities, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Solution-Focused Therapy, Psychoanalysis, and many others.
To get you started, we provide a free phone consultation, where we’ll get to know you and what you hope to achieve in therapy. We’ll also answer any questions you may have, explain our process, and develop a treatment plan.
You can book in-person or teletherapy sessions depending on what suits you best.
We are here to support you in your grieving process so you can heal and re-discover your true self.
Call us at (888) 494-7788 or reach out to set up your free consultation today!
Ron N. Gad, PhD
FounderDr. Ronen Nissan, PhD is the founder of Beverly Hills Therapy Group in California. Dr. Gad holds a PhD in clinical psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute. Along with his staff of licensed therapist, Beverly Hills Therapy Group provides mental health services for many disorders including anxiety, trauma, depression, and several others.