Grief Counselling Perth – Grief & Loss Support
Grief is a natural response to loss, but that does not mean you have to navigate it alone.
Loss can affect your emotions, thoughts, relationships, routines and sense of identity. While grief is often associated with the death of someone important, people can experience grief following many different types of loss and significant life change.
Bilingual Psychology provides grief counselling in Perth with registered psychologist Lin Tan. Psychological support provides a confidential space to talk about your loss, understand how grief is affecting you and explore ways of adjusting to changes in your life.
Appointments are available from our Willetton, Perth practice, with psychological services offered in English, Mandarin and Cantonese.
If grief or loss is becoming difficult to navigate, contact Bilingual Psychology to discuss psychological support.
What Is Grief?
Grief is a response to losing someone or something that has been important to you.
It is not one particular emotion.
Grief can involve sadness, anger, guilt, relief, confusion, loneliness, numbness and many other experiences. Thoughts, behaviours, sleep, concentration and physical wellbeing can also be affected.
There is no single way that everyone experiences grief.
Some people experience strong emotions immediately following a loss. For others, emotions may emerge gradually or change considerably over time.
The nature of the relationship, circumstances surrounding the loss, available support and a person's cultural and personal background can all influence the grieving process.
What Can Grief Feel Like?
Grief can affect people emotionally, cognitively, physically and socially.
You may experience:
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Sadness or tearfulness
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Loneliness
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Anger
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Guilt or regret
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Emotional numbness
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Relief
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Confusion
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Difficulty concentrating
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Changes in sleep
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Changes in appetite
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Fatigue
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Reduced motivation
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Withdrawing from other people
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Thinking frequently about the person or situation you have lost
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Difficulty adjusting to changed routines
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A sense that part of your identity has changed
Experiencing difficult emotions after a loss does not automatically mean that something is wrong.
Grief is an individual experience, and its intensity can change over time.
What Types of Loss Can Cause Grief?
Bereavement is an important form of grief, but people can grieve many different types of loss.
These can include:
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Death of a partner
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Death of a family member
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Death of a friend
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Pregnancy loss
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Loss of a child
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Loss of a pet
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Separation or divorce
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Breakdown of an important relationship
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Changes in health or physical ability
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Loss of employment
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Retirement
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Moving away from family or community
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Migration
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Changes in family relationships
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Loss of independence
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Significant changes in identity or life circumstances
Sometimes a loss may not be widely recognised by other people, even though it has significant emotional meaning to the person experiencing it.
Psychological support can provide a space to discuss the significance of that loss without assuming how you should feel about it.
Is There a Right Way to Grieve?
No.
People differ considerably in how they respond to loss.
You may have heard grief described as progressing through a fixed sequence of stages.
While some people may recognise particular emotions or experiences in these models, grief does not necessarily occur in a predictable order.
You may feel relatively settled one day and experience strong emotions the next.
Anniversaries, birthdays, family events, familiar places, music or unexpected reminders can also bring emotions associated with the loss back to the surface.
Psychological support should not be based on forcing someone to grieve according to a particular timetable.
How Long Does Grief Last?
There is no universal timeframe for grief.
The intensity and nature of grief can change over time, but this does not mean that someone must stop missing the person or situation they have lost after a particular number of weeks or months.
Many factors can influence the grieving process, including:
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The nature of the loss
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Your relationship with the person who died
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Whether the loss was expected or sudden
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Other life pressures
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Previous experiences of loss
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Family circumstances
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Cultural practices and beliefs
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Your support network
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Your physical and psychological wellbeing
Rather than measuring grief against someone else's timeline, it can be more useful to consider how you are functioning and whether you feel you need additional support.
When Might Grief Counselling Be Helpful?
Not everyone who experiences grief needs psychological therapy.
Family, friends, community and cultural practices can provide meaningful support following a loss.
You may consider speaking with a psychologist when grief is causing significant distress, when you feel unable to talk openly with people around you or when you are finding it particularly difficult to adjust to changes following the loss.
You may also seek psychological support if you are experiencing:
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Persistent difficulty managing everyday responsibilities
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Significant social withdrawal
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Ongoing sleep difficulties
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Strong guilt or self-blame
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Difficulty accepting what has happened
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Significant anxiety
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Persistent low mood
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Difficulty adapting to changed circumstances
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Relationship or family difficulties following the loss
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A sense that you are struggling to move forward with important areas of life
You do not have to wait until grief reaches a particular level of severity before discussing what you are experiencing.
What Happens in Grief Counselling?
Grief counselling does not aim to make you forget the person or experience you have lost.
Psychological support can instead provide a space to understand your experience of grief and consider how you are adjusting to the changes surrounding the loss.
Depending on your circumstances, sessions may involve:
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Talking about the loss
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Exploring difficult emotions
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Understanding changes in your thoughts and behaviour
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Discussing guilt, anger or regret
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Adjusting to changed roles or routines
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Exploring changes in identity
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Managing difficult reminders or anniversaries
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Understanding family or relationship changes
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Developing ways of coping with particularly difficult periods
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Reconnecting with meaningful activities and relationships
The approach will depend on your individual circumstances and needs.
Do I Have to Talk About Everything That Happened?
No.
You can discuss what you feel able to discuss with your psychologist.
Some losses involve circumstances that are particularly painful, sudden or difficult to describe.
You may also have mixed emotions about the person or situation you have lost.
Psychological therapy can proceed at a pace that considers your individual circumstances rather than requiring you to disclose everything immediately.
Grief After the Death of Someone You Love
Bereavement can involve adjusting not only to someone's absence but also to changes in everyday life.
The person who died may have been:
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Your partner
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A parent
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A child
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A sibling
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Another family member
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A close friend
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A caregiver
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Someone central to your community
The loss may change routines, responsibilities, relationships and plans for the future.
Psychological support can provide a place to discuss both the emotional experience of bereavement and the practical changes that have followed it.
Grief After a Sudden or Unexpected Loss
Sudden losses can bring additional experiences alongside grief.
You may find yourself repeatedly thinking about what happened, struggling to understand the circumstances or thinking about things you wish had happened differently.
Unexpected loss can also leave little opportunity to prepare emotionally or practically.
Where appropriate, psychological support can explore both grief and other psychological responses associated with the circumstances surrounding the loss.
Grief After Separation or Relationship Breakdown
Grief can also follow the end of a relationship.
Separation or divorce can involve the loss of:
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A partner
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Shared routines
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Future plans
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A family structure
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Financial stability
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Social relationships
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A familiar home
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A particular sense of identity
Even when ending a relationship was necessary or mutually agreed, feelings of grief can still occur.
Where relationship changes are central to what you are experiencing, psychological support can explore both the loss itself and the process of adjusting to a different life situation.
Grief Following Pregnancy Loss
Pregnancy loss can involve significant grief.
The emotional experience may include sadness, shock, guilt, anger, confusion or a sense of losing the future that had been imagined.
Partners may also experience and express grief differently.
Some people find that those around them do not fully understand the significance of the loss, which can make the experience feel particularly isolating.
Psychological support can provide a confidential space to discuss the loss and its emotional impact.
Grief Following the Loss of a Pet
For many people, pets are important members of their family.
The death of a pet can therefore involve significant grief.
People may also feel that others do not understand why the loss has affected them so strongly.
The significance of grief is not determined simply by how other people view the loss.
Psychological support can provide a space to discuss what the relationship meant to you and how you are adjusting to the loss.
What Is the Difference Between Grief and Depression?
Grief and depression can share some experiences, but they are not necessarily the same.
Grief commonly occurs in response to a significant loss and may involve waves of difficult emotions that change over time.
Depression can involve more persistent changes in mood, motivation, thinking and functioning and may occur with or without an identifiable loss.
It is also possible for someone who is grieving to experience depression.
Because symptoms can overlap, a health professional can assess your individual circumstances if you are concerned about persistent low mood or changes in functioning.
Can Grief Cause Anxiety?
Grief can sometimes occur alongside anxiety.
After a significant loss, you may become more aware of uncertainty or worry about losing other people.
Changes in finances, family responsibilities, housing, relationships or your future can also create additional concerns.
Where anxiety forms part of your experience following a loss, psychological support can explore these concerns alongside grief.
Grief, Guilt and "What If?" Thoughts
Guilt can sometimes form part of grief.
You might repeatedly think:
“I should have done more.”
“I should have noticed something.”
“I wish our last conversation had been different.”
“What if I had made a different decision?”
Some people also feel guilty when they begin enjoying activities again or experience periods when they are not actively thinking about the person they have lost.
Psychological therapy can provide a space to explore these thoughts and the circumstances surrounding them.
Grief and Family Relationships
Families do not necessarily grieve in the same way.
One person may want to talk frequently about the loss, while another may prefer privacy.
Someone may return to everyday activities relatively quickly, while another family member may need considerably more time.
Different ways of grieving can sometimes create misunderstanding or conflict.
Cultural expectations, family roles and beliefs about expressing emotion can also influence these differences.
Psychological support can help explore how grief is affecting your relationships and communication with other people.
Grief Across Cultures
Culture can influence how people understand death, loss and bereavement.
Different cultures and families may have particular:
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Mourning practices
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Funeral traditions
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Religious or spiritual beliefs
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Expectations about emotional expression
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Family responsibilities
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Anniversary practices
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Expectations about how long mourning should continue
For people living between cultures, grief may sometimes involve navigating different expectations about how loss should be acknowledged or expressed.
Where relevant, these cultural experiences can form part of psychological therapy.
Grief Counselling in English, Mandarin and Cantonese
Some experiences of grief can be difficult to translate.
Memories, family relationships and cultural practices may also be closely connected with a particular language.
Bilingual Psychology provides psychological services in:
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English
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Mandarin
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Cantonese
Clients can discuss their preferred language when enquiring about psychological support.
Grief Counselling in Willetton, Perth
Bilingual Psychology provides grief and loss counselling from Willetton, Western Australia.
Psychological services are provided by registered psychologist Lin Tan.
Lin works with clients experiencing a range of emotional, psychological, relationship and life concerns, with services available in English, Mandarin and Cantonese.
Do I Need a GP Referral for Grief Counselling?
You can contact Bilingual Psychology directly to enquire about an appointment.
If you want to access Medicare rebates for eligible psychological services, speak with your GP and Bilingual Psychology about current referral and eligibility requirements.
Your GP can also consider whether additional health assessment or other forms of support may be appropriate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is grief counselling?
Grief counselling provides a confidential setting to discuss bereavement, loss and the changes associated with them.
Psychological support may involve exploring emotions, thoughts, relationships and difficulties adjusting following a loss. The approach depends on your individual circumstances.
Is grief a mental illness?
Grief itself is a natural response to loss and is not automatically a mental illness.
People can experience significant sadness and other difficult emotions while grieving.
Some people may also experience mental health difficulties alongside grief, which can be assessed by an appropriate health professional.
How long does grief normally last?
There is no universal timeframe for grief.
People differ in how they respond to loss, and the intensity of grief may change over time. The nature of the loss, relationship, circumstances and available support can all influence the grieving process.
What are the common signs of grief?
Grief can involve sadness, loneliness, anger, guilt, numbness, difficulty concentrating, changes in sleep, fatigue, reduced motivation and changes in everyday routines.
Not everyone experiences grief in the same way.
What are the stages of grief?
Grief is sometimes described using stage-based models, but people do not necessarily experience grief in a fixed sequence.
Emotions can change, overlap and return over time. There is no requirement to progress through particular stages in order to grieve appropriately.
What is the difference between grief and depression?
Grief commonly follows a significant loss and can involve changing waves of emotion.
Depression may involve more persistent changes in mood, thinking, motivation and everyday functioning and can occur with or without a specific loss.
Grief and depression can also occur together, so professional assessment may be appropriate if you are concerned about your symptoms.
Can I see a psychologist after losing someone?
Yes. People may seek psychological support following bereavement or another significant loss.
You do not have to wait for grief to reach a particular level before discussing your experience with a psychologist.
Do I need grief counselling?
Not everyone who is grieving needs psychological therapy.
Support from family, friends, community and cultural or spiritual practices may be sufficient for many people.
You may consider professional support if grief is causing significant distress, interfering with everyday functioning or if you would like a confidential space to discuss your experience.
Can grief counselling help after a relationship ends?
Psychological support can be sought following separation, divorce or another significant relationship loss.
Counselling may explore both the emotional experience of the loss and the changes in identity, relationships and everyday life that can follow.
Can I get grief counselling after losing a pet?
Yes. The death of a pet can represent a significant loss.
Psychological support can provide a space to discuss the relationship, your experience of grief and how you are adjusting following the loss.
Can grief cause anxiety?
Grief can occur alongside anxiety, particularly when a loss creates uncertainty or concerns about health, family, relationships, finances or the future.
A psychologist can explore these concerns as part of understanding your overall experience.
Is grief counselling available in Mandarin or Cantonese?
Yes. Bilingual Psychology provides psychological services in English, Mandarin and Cantonese.
Clients can discuss their preferred language when enquiring about an appointment.
Where can I access grief counselling in Perth?
Bilingual Psychology provides grief counselling and psychological services from Willetton, Western Australia, with services provided by registered psychologist Lin Tan.
What should I do if grief is making me feel suicidal?
If you are in immediate danger or at immediate risk of harming yourself, call Triple Zero (000) or attend your nearest emergency department.
For 24-hour crisis support in Australia, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Bilingual Psychology is not an emergency or crisis service