Grief Counseling : 5 Ways to Heal Students by using it
Did you know that grief has the tendency to produce undesirable physical effects on our bodies? The acute or prolonged emotions of loss and trauma can tremendously influence our lives. Grief counseling is a professional therapy that helps individuals survive the rough stages of life successfully.
There are inevitable incidences in life which we all go through –death, loss, or failure. Some psychologists refer grief to as the acute sadness caused by the death of a family member or a friend. However, there are other factors that can produce symptoms of grief in certain individuals. Coping with trauma, sadness or grief also depends from person to person. Loss of a loved one, end of a close relationship, failure, losing a job or dream –all of these can lead to grief.
Students are faced with various trials and tests especially during high loss. They are mature enough to understand loss and there are a lot of things happening in their lives at that time. Many students suffer from depression symptoms. Their studies, social and personal life deteriorates because of poor mental health. Not getting admission in their desired college, failing, romantic relationship breakups, losing a friend, death of a close one –are some of the factors which cause grief in students. It is important to address these emotions to heal.
Every student is different. Their family upbringing, social, cultural, or religious values may alter their response to loss. It is important to understand that grieving is not a bad thing. It is a natural emotion which humans experience upon loss. Ignoring one’s feelings can lead to passive aggression and underlying depression symptoms.
Once a person learns to grieve properly, he or she can come out of the trauma experience sooner. Parents, teachers, and guardians play an important role in helping children address their emotions. Some students have mental health committee which helps students with grief counseling.
Parents and teaching staff should also get educated about tips that can help their children heal from long-term grief. It is not always easy to spot a grieving person. But there are certain symptoms that help in the diagnosis of grief. Psychologists carry out tests to confirm the diagnosis before starting behavioral therapy and grief counseling.
As I said earlier, different people experience different sets of emotions following the loss. There is no particular list of musts and must not. It is only after a certain time that it becomes a concern when someone is no longer able to carry on with their normal routine after losing someone. Some people grieve for a certain time period. But they are able to jump back to their life after a while.
However, some people find it difficult and meaningless to do anything. It is for students like these for whom grief counseling is recommended. If not received, students may face failure in their life onwards.
If a student has faced the loss of a loved one, mother, father, or friend –he or she may enter the loop of grief. It becomes a vicious cycle for them. Following the loss, they are unable to get back on their studies. They stop socializing with their friends. They lock themselves out and even stop eating well. It is all unintentional but it becomes very difficult for them to feel normal again. They forget to have fun. Grief even has physical manifestations. Some people actually feel the ache in their heart when they’re too sad. Weakness, fatigue, malnutrition, weight loss, poor concentration, and memory are some of the symptoms of grief.
Considering how torturous grief can be, there should always be ways to overcome it. Especially for those who cannot do it on their own. Grief counseling is a form of psychotherapy in which psychologists help the individual come to terms with grief and other emotions. It fulfills their religious, social, emotional, and cultural explanation of loss.
So what can we do to help these students who experience grief at any point in their life? We can help them by giving them the contact number of some good grief counselor.
It is important to contact a grief counselor as he or she can help them through using various methods. Let analyze some ways through which they can help students heal.
Ways to Heal Students
Listen and Address their Feelings
When a person is experiencing grief, they may also become anxious and depressed. They stop expressing their emotions like a normal person. Other family members and friends notice that this person has become distant.
This is because many times we fail to offer a listening ear to these people. And even if we do, there is a fear of being judged for how they are feeling. So it is important to ensure affected individuals that you care. Let them talk their heart out. Once they express their true emotions, they will feel lighter and better. Of course, it won’t happen overnight. It takes a bit while for them to start feeling like themselves again.
But listening is an important part of grief counseling. If a person seems too triggered, irritated and anxious, they might also need anxiety and cognitive behavior therapy. Identifying the issues will help you understand what exactly you can do for such students.
Answering Specific Concerns
People who are religious might also feel lost after losing someone to death. It makes them question their entire existence, the purpose of the universe, what are life and death. They begin to lose faith in everything.
In grief counseling, the therapists or counselors also address such queries. They help these people come to terms with the realities of life. Younger students may also fall out of religion or spiritual beliefs more often because they are not that mature. They may also show anger towards the higher power.
So for such students, grief counseling is a reliable means to get answers and find a deeper meaning in life.
Accept the Change
Losing a father or mother is a huge deal. It is something that changes a person’s entire life. It would be unrealistic to think that life can be the same afterward. A student who has gone through such a loss must understand that their life is going to change now. They might experience financial instability. And they need to be self-dependent.
It might mean getting a part-time job. It will also help them get a little busy and take their mind off the feelings of loss. Moving forward with life is important. When we lose someone, we still need to carry on. Grief counseling also targets such areas and emphasizes respecting the new change in life. It also helps students adjust to this big change.
Coping Mechanisms
We all expect different things from life. Some of us feel things on a much deeper level than others. Grief counseling can help the counselor identify personality types. A grieving person might have trigger factors. They need to be addressed and properly treated.
Counselors aim at providing effective and specific coping mechanisms for each individual according to their needs.
Setbacks and Failure
When a student is going through the grieving phase, he or she may experience setbacks. Through the process of grief counseling, there might be good days. But initially, they might have bad days more often. They might find it hard to focus on their studies. It will take time for them to perform well again.
Grief counseling is meant to encourage such students to keep going. And to embrace the fact that they are going to have setbacks and it is completely okay to lay back for a while.
Death or loss is not a joke –life is meant to change following such incidences. We cannot expect to be the same person as we were before the loss. But the art is in coping. It is about learning to accept this big change and adapt to it. Grief counseling should be encouraged for individuals who are unable to move on. It is important for us to understand that wanting help does not mean that we are weak. Self-care is an essential part of life. Grief is inevitable. Grief counseling is not about getting rid of the emotions. Rather it’s about learning to have control over feelings and understanding the process.