Grief Counselling

Grief is a complex and multifaceted experience which everyone goes through at some point in their lives. Research has found that the experience of grief physically affects the brain, so it is a legitimately deep and universal emotion for which most of us have no tools to deal with. Some experiences of grief, like losing a loved one, are compassionately accepted by society while others, such as loss of health or job, may be rejected or not even seen as a grieving process. At Incontact, we believe that grief is not about letting go or forgetting the loss, but learning to live with that loss. Through Grief Counselling, we will help you to understand your experience of grief and give yourself the time, grace and strength to get through it.

What is Grief Counselling?

Grief is a common response to any form of loss. Though less typically discussed, grief can also be experienced following significant life changes. Grieving often involves emotional suffering from intense sadness, numbness, anger, guilt and disbelief. The pain of grief may also affect our physical health, disrupting our eating and sleeping patterns and the way we think and behave.

Grief counselling is important for individuals who face difficulty managing the change or loss experienced and feel overwhelmed. Grief counselling offers professional therapy that is designed to help individuals work through the emotions and different stages of grief they might be experiencing after a change or loss. It is important for individuals who are grieving to have a platform to process and heal from the experience.

However, grief counselling is not just for those who feel overwhelmed. At Incontact, we believe that the grieving process is different for everyone. Hence, we also hope to provide a safe space for those who just want a platform to ventilate their emotions even if they feel that they are coping well with their grief.

Symptoms of Grief

Grief is a highly personal experience. The grieving process and experience may vary based on age, gender, religious and cultural beliefs, past experiences, personality and coping styles, and significance of the change or loss.

However, while grief affects people in different ways, many of us may experience similar emotional and physical symptoms of grief. Some of these emotional symptoms include:

• Shock and Disbelief
• Feeling numb, Difficulty accepting the loss or change, Denying the truth

• Sadness
• Feelings of emptiness, despair, yearning and loneliness, Frequent crying

• Guilt
• Feelings of regret over things that were or were not said and done

• Fear
• Feeling worried, anxious, helpless and insecure about the future

• Anger
• Feeling angry at yourself or others, Finding the need to blame

There are also physical symptoms, including fatigue, nausea, lowered immunity, fluctuations in weight, body aches or pain and insomnia.

You may have heard of the five stages of grief. This includes denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. However, individuals may experience these stages differently, and not everyone necessarily goes through each of these five stages sequentially in their healing process. Some people do not even go through certain stages of grief.

Types of Grief

While grieving is a normal process that everybody experiences in life, there are many different types of grief. These different types of grief stem from different causes and may affect individuals in different ways. Some common types of grief include:

• Anticipatory Grief
• Where individuals experience grief before as opposed to after the change/loss, which often involves feelings of anger and hopelessness.
• Examples of anticipatory grief include grief over facing the impending death of a loved one or grief over being diagnosed with progressive conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.

• Complicated Grief
• Where individuals experience unacceptance and pain from change or loss that seems endless and prevents them from resuming their daily activities.
• An example of complicated grief is when the sorrow or pain of a loss persists for six months to a year, to the point where the ability to resume regular activities from before the loss is affected.

• Disenfranchised Grief
• Where individuals experience grief that is devalued and stigmatised by the people around them or even society at large which makes it difficult for them to process and deal with it.
• Examples of disenfranchised grief include grief over loss of close friendships, grief over a divorce, or grief over losing a job.

Why Choose Incontact Grief Counselling

At Incontact, our counsellors have experience helping clients cope with various different types of grief. Communicating your thoughts and feelings with our trusted and experienced therapists - through verbal or non-verbal interventions - will greatly lighten the weight. By working with you to incorporate healthy strategies to manage and cope with your loss, grief counselling can slowly help you heal and get back on your feet.

There is no right or wrong way to grieve. All of us experience and deal with grief differently. Sometimes, grief may get too overwhelming for us to perform daily activities and can take a significant toll on our mental health. At Incontact, we partner with you with psychological knowledge and a compassionate approach where we intend to understand your grieving process and pace. We believe that grief is a transformative experience and sometimes it can be difficult to return to your old identity. Through counselling, we facilitate the process of finding and enhancing your identity in a way that helps you to function and accept the loss.

Our therapists are trained in and make use of various counselling techniques to help clients deal with grief, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Internal Family Systems, EMDR, among other therapeutic modalities. We primarily use experiential processes because we feel that grief and loss is heavily tied to our physical experience, but we use both talk and non talk therapies to help you process grief.

Confidentiality Assurance

• At Incontact Counselling and Training, we prioritise the confidentiality and privacy of our clients above all else.
• Our team comprises counsellors and employees who have each signed legally binding confidentiality clauses, affirming their commitment to upholding the strictest standards of confidentiality. We handle all client information with the utmost care, ensuring it is kept secure and private at all times.
• We operate under the principle of non-disclosure, meaning that unless required by law or in cases where there is a severe risk of harm, we do not share client information with third parties without explicit consent.
• Every interaction and communication with our clients is conducted privately and confidentially, fostering an environment of trust and respect. Moreover, we continuously review and enhance our confidentiality policies and procedures to ensure they align with the highest industry standards. Your privacy is paramount to us, and you can rest assured that your information is safe with Incontact Counselling and Training.

How to Get Started

If you or your loved one is struggling to cope with grief, contact our mental health professionals who can help. Book an appointment for either an online or in-person counselling session through the Contact Us form today.

Professional Affiliations and Certifications

Our counsellors are accredited by the Singapore Association for Counselling (SAC). Our counsellors are also trained in a large variety of therapeutic approaches.