Relationship Therapy for Grieving Adults
Loss can make you question who you are, where you belong, & who has your back. When your world is crumbling, quality support can make a difference.
Serving Charlotte, NC & online throughout North & South Carolina
Have you noticed a change in how you feel about yourself or others?
Less patience? More irritation? Confusion? Wondering if anyone else gets it?
Maybe you’re receiving some not so subtle hints that your grief should be done by now. Or perhaps you find yourself with questions about who you are, where you fit in, and what to do without your loved one. You don’t want to say what you’re thinking and feeling out loud because you’re afraid others won’t get it. You may be putting on a mask when you’re out in public, at work, or around family and friends. Or perhaps you’re so exhausted and overwhelmed, you’ve lost your filter!
Whatever it is that you’re experiencing, you’re beginning to notice the impact of this in every facet of your life:
- Avoiding certain people, events, and conversations
- Surprise at who is showing up for you and who has become quiet and distant
- Questioning who you can trust
- Struggling to know what to say, when to say it, and who to say it to
- Feeling like you don’t know who you are anymore
Relationship therapy for those who are grieving can help.
It may feel like this is one more thing for you to do. I get it, grieving is enough on its own. And it truly is! But many of those I sit with also run into relationship struggles following the loss of a loved one. Sometimes these struggles exist in relationships with others and sometimes they are present in your relationship with yourself. Significant life change can magnify what's working and what may not be working in these areas. If this may be happening for you and you want to work with someone who can support you through your relationship needs, I can help.
You may not feel like it right now but you can learn how to feel like yourself again. You can find a sense of belonging with others. You can discover ways to identify your needs and share them with people that want to meet them. And I would be honored to help you get there.
Relationship therapy while you’re grieving can help you to:
- Develop tools and strategies to get through those awkward, difficult, or anxiety-provoking conversations
- Identify and express needs, wants, and boundaries
- Strengthen supports and/or foster new connections to better support you in your grief
- Better understand why your grief looks different than those around you
You will navigate your grief in your own way and often that reveals changes in how you relate to others and how you connect with yourself. I’ll help through this process by honoring your unique relationship needs and circumstances. My approach to relationship therapy comes from a place of hope and compassion: you are not the problem, others (probably) are not the problem, and your grief isn’t a problem. Changes in relationships are common when going through significant life change. If you need help making sense of what to do with these changes, I’m here to support you.
You don’t have to live life hiding from others & feeling like a stranger to yourself forever.
Reconnect, re-engage, & restore…when you’re ready.
Common questions about relationship therapy:
Short answer…it’s a possibility! Sometimes there are things we can work on that don’t require another to be present. Other times, there could be value from having a partner, friend, or family member be a participant. You may want to work with someone to strengthen support, build bridges in communication, or address something with the support of a third party present. I like to collaborate with clients about the potential benefits and risks of inviting someone to a session. We will work together to determine expectations, hopes, and intentions for having someone join us. I like to plan for these sessions rather than it be a surprise! So please let me know if this is something you’re interested in if we happen to work together.
This is also a benefit of private pay (self-pay) services. Sometimes insurance companies can dictate the type, length, and frequency of particular sessions. My hope is you have ultimate freedom and choice around what you need out of your therapeutic experience.
For many, loss of a loved one can cause you to feel like you’ve also lost yourself. This is called a secondary loss, those additional losses someone may experience after the death of a loved one. Loss of self may look and sound like:
- “I don’t know who I am anymore.”
- “I feel like a part of me died when he/she/they died.”
- “Who am I now as a partner/parent/child/friend/etc.?”
- “I don’t feel like myself anymore…”
- Changes in physical symptoms: energy, motivation, mood, sleep, weight
Lots of things in life can lead to these types of feelings and thoughts. With the loss of a loved one, you often will grieve more than just the physical person that’s so special to you. Reconnecting with yourself means knowing what has changed about you, what you may be grieving about yourself, and exploring ways to become familiar with who you are now.
In early grief, all of this sounds overwhelming, impossible, and foreign. It’s ok if you’re not ready to digest this information. Just know, it is possible to come back home to yourself, even here.
How you feel with the person you’re working with is one of the most important pieces of therapy. Reach out today to schedule a free 20-minute consultation call. During the call, you’ll get the chance to share what’s bringing you to therapy and ask any questions you may have about therapy with me. The conversation will help us determine if we’re a good fit for another. If so, we’ll schedule an initial appointment and I’ll guide you through beginning our work together. Sometimes these discussions also lead us to realize you may be better supported by another provider. If so, I’ll gladly provide you with referrals.
More questions? Check out my FAQs page.