Therapy for Grief, Loss & Pet Loss

We can never be prepared for the emotions we will experience when we experience a major loss. Have you recently lost a loved one or a pet and are unable to cope with them being gone? Are you struggling to feel ‘normal’ and feel stuck? Perhaps you have experienced a major life loss such as a divorce or moving to a new place and you don’t know how to move forward?

Types of Grief Therapy

Grief therapy doesn’t just exist to help those who have lost a loved one. Rather, anyone experiencing different types of loss or painful life experiences can benefit from grief therapy. Maybe you’ve lost a loved one, or are supporting some who has lost their loved one. Maybe you’ve lost a pet, and can’t seem to process it or move on. Or perhaps you’ve experienced a significant relationship breakdown like a divorce or a breakup. Grief is a normal human reaction to loss, but sometimes grief can be overwhelming, causing us to feel stuck and unable to cope with the changes we are experiencing. When we experience loss, it affects many different aspects of our lives including our sense or normalcy and security. The emotions we experience can be complicated and difficult to navigate. Whatever your loss, when you’re ready, we’re here to help you through it.

What can happen when you’re grieving?

Grief is not a straightforward experience. Like many struggles, grief and bereavement looks different for everyone. For some, however, the symptoms of grieving can become debilitating. This might be an indication that you need some help processing and working through your grief. Here’s a list of some of the difficulties those who are grieving may experience:

  • Sense of hopelessness

  • Depression

  • Anger

  • Difficulty coping with stress

  • Feelings of guilt

  • Problems accepting the death

  • Numbness or detachment

  • Difficulty with normal routines

  • Isolation and social avoidance

What causes grief?

Traditionally, most people assume grief relates to the death of a loved one. However, grief expands to a wide variety of life events, that we may not traditionally associate with the concept of grieving. Here’s a list of life events that can cause grief:


  • Death of a loved one

  • Death of a pet

  • financial loss & hardship

  • divorce or breakup

  • moving

  • empty nesting

  • retirement & career change

  • sexual difficulties

  • gaining a family member

  • family conflict

Overcoming Grief

When working with grief it is essential that clients feel that they have a safe space to talk about the loss and understand that we find ways to honour that loss. We know that the loss will always be a part of our life, but we use evidence-based methods of processing and working through grief to ensure that it is not consuming ALL of our life. In therapy, we work towards establishing a new ‘normal’ at a pace that feels comfortable to the client.  Depending on the client and their unique needs, we may also incorporate practical strategies to help with emotional regulation, or behavioural activation skills to help you get back to the activities and actions that are important to you but you’ve been struggling to get back to. Grief may also involve processing trauma or helping you determine which state of grief you are in and what you can do to support yourself through that stage. Learning to accept while holding space for pain is a central aspect of grief therapy.

Different Stages of Grief

One of the ways that we have developed to better understand grief is the 7 stages of grief model. The 7 stages don’t necessarily happen in order, though they can! And, it’s important to note that often, folks move back and forth between the different stages – it’s not linear or stagnant but an active, ever changing process. Do any of these stages resonate with you?

  • Often when we receive jarring news, it takes some time for it fully sink in. Even if we’ve prepared for the loss or illness, shock can still sometimes impact us! It may take your brain some time to catch up to your life circumstances.

  • During the process of grief, some people experience denial in which we don’t accept what is happening. Some people explain this denial phase as a fog, where they feel separated from reality.

  • While fairly self explanatory, anger can look different for many folks. Anger can be seen overtly by folks displaying anger outwards to friends, family or loved ones OR internally. For many, the anger phase is hidden within themselves, and they are stuck navigating the tensions of anger that don’t always feel like they should “fit” with our grief.

  • The bargaining stage often involves a bereaving individual trying to find a reason why, even when there is none, or trying to bargain or make promises to oneself or another (or a higher being) for a chance to rectify the situation. Often times the bargaining phase can cause individuals to take blame where there isn’t blame to be taken.

  • While depression goes without saying, it’s an umbrella term for a variety of negative experiences that can often occur. This might involve feelings of loneliness, hopelessness, emptiness, isolation or a feeling of dread. The feelings of depression can come and go or stay for a long time.

  • This is one of the phases we regularly dip in and out of throughout the grief process. This is the stage when we come to accept the loss, find meaning in it and develop hope for new life, opportunity, or forward momentum. This often involves reconnecting with our ourselves and our support systems.

  • There is no right or wrong way to grieve so processing grief can look different for everyone. Processing ebbs and flows and often involves thinking through, talking through or working through the feelings, thoughts and emotions that come with grief. This is a process that can benefit the help of a trained professional.

Grief & Loss on the Bounce Back Blog

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