Processing grief and loss is hard enough. Processing these emotions during a global pandemic takes it to another level.
Finding Your Rhythm
Some people find psychotherapy straightforward. They know what they want to do and they jump straight in with both feet and start working almost immediately hungry to get the work done. Not everyone is like that and it can take a while to get into the rhythm of therapy – the 50-minute sessions, the knowing where to start and finding the words to express what they are feeling. That is okay. Therapy can seem a bit scary and daunting, but I create a safe and confidential space for you to explore aspects of loss, your experiences and your grief at a pace that works for you.
When I think about clients getting into their rhythm, I notice that for some it is taking longer than it might normally because Covid and lockdown are getting in the way of their grieving process. It seems they are grieving for the additional losses that Covid has brought – things like the loss of freedom, the loss of seeing friends, the loss of free movement, the loss of spontaneity, the loss of a life once known. These losses are here, and they are affecting people every day. Clients want to process these additional losses before they start processing their grief.
Therapy is not always linear
People might think that they enter therapy feeling x, work through their issues which we can call y and then find themselves at z, all fixed and feeling ‘better’. Although this can and does happen, it is not always the way that therapy works. It can feel like two steps forward and one step backward at times as you wrestle with a particularly knotty issue. Eventually, the knot loosens, something shifts internally and you can move forward again.
In my experience, clients’ focus during therapy sessions changes as often as they need it to. If you think about how your thoughts run through your mind at any given time, then it is understandable that you will want to move from one idea to another at times. There is a phrase ‘trust the process’ and that means you need to trust that you are doing the best you can for you at this moment in time and that you will eventually find your way.
A few final words
- Be kind to yourself
- Speak to friends or family members
- Do not suffer in silence
- Find a professional to talk to about how you feel. There are many to choose from and there will be someone that you like the look of and will be comfortable sharing your thoughts with
- If you do decide to seek professional support, they will want to help you find your answers and find a way to live the best life you can…
#self-care #covid #bereavement #grief #seekinghelp #psychotherapy #therapyprocess