GRIEVING

Grieving is a part of life, but it doesn’t have to become a way of life.

Deep mental anguish, endured alone in silence, can go undetected for years.

Meet Anne.

She’s 56 years old and lived a life of service to others. She didn’t have a husband or children. She was alone.

Health concerns cut her work years short. Living with profound diabetes, obesity, and difficulty in walking because of neuropathy had taken a toll.

During a session, Anne mentioned the image of a can of white paint.

Grief is like putting a dab of red paint into a can of white paint.

As you stir and stir, the white takes on a new color.

When Anne was a teenager, her father left her a suicide note. She found him in the garage, dead.

We had a lot of work to sort through the many layers of loss – clinically called complicated bereavement.

I can help you, too.

Sometimes, we don’t even know we’re grieving.

In therapy, we’ll discuss feelings of isolation, rigidity, lack of pleasure in self or others, profound sadness, and loneliness. I’ll help you rework these feelings into a more meaningful life.

Working toward being more resilient can go a long way in understanding how to cope with grieving.

It’s not enough to cry when you’re sad. I tell my patients, “You can cry, but you must talk through your tears. I need to know what you’re thinking.”

Let’s piece together the thoughts with the feelings. Call me now at (703) 356-5829.