|  | Conditions Treatments | Depression

Principles of Grief Support

Grief is a natural reaction to the loss of a loved one, a relationship or to a sudden change in life circumstances. It is an unwelcome, but unavoidable part of life for everybody. In times of intense grief, a person can lose interest in life, develop depression and suicidal tendencies. Grief support is an important part of rehabilitation and recovery from grief. Psychologists, psychiatrists, trained volunteers or counselors can follow the principles of grief support and help people in distress.

  1. Provide Security

    • A volunteer or worker who provides grief support must outline all the available means of support to a bereaved person. She must also provide a feeling of security and inspire confidence in the bereaved person. A safe, inviting, consistent meeting place and lack of distractions or disturbances during meetings are beneficial. The worker must clearly define the boundaries of grief support and the conditions for referral to a specialist.

    Acknowledge Grief

    • One of the initial steps in grief support is to acknowledge the sorrow the bereaved person is feeling. It is important to accept sorrow as an unavoidable part of life. The volunteer must emphasize the fact that grief is a process all human beings go through at different stages in their lives.

    Encourage Expression of Grief

    • A bereaved person may try to avoid expressing grief and pretend it is not there. The bottling up of emotions can lead to physical and emotional problems later on. A grief support counselor must encourage the expression of feelings through speech, writing or creative expression. He must be patient and understanding during the course of communication.

    Discuss Feelings

    • A grief support counselor must explore the feelings that cause grief in the bereaved person. Sometimes guilt, anger and shock may be lurking underneath the grief. The counselor can discuss the relationship between the bereaved person and the departed person. Such communication can reveal aspects of the relationship that prevent the bereaved person from moving on.

    Discuss Spiritual and Religious Beliefs

    • Religious beliefs are important in dealing with grief. The counselor must strive to understand the bereaved person's point of view on spirituality and encourage positive dialog.

    Encourage Social Interactions

    • The counselor must make every effort to encourage the bereaved person to resume normal social interactions and activity. Social isolation can add to the feelings of depression and grief.

    Maintain Confidentiality

    • The information that passes between a counselor and a person in distress must remain confidential and private at all times. The counselor must not divulge details, unless required by a senior or a specialist.

    Refrain from Bias

    • No counselor must ever display prejudice or bias against people on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or place in society.

    Refer to Specialists if Needed

    • If a counselor is unable to help a bereaved person, she must provide a reference to a specialist who can offer more help.

Depression - Related Articles