Visítanos en Español ~AQUÍ~
Visítanos en Español ~AQUÍ~
Grief Counseling
Has A Painful Loss Turned Your World Upside Down?
Are you struggling to move on from the loss of a loved one, a pet, a job, or a relationship? Lately, have you been feeling:
Too sluggish and unmotivated to enjoy your hobbies and passions?
Increasingly irritable and characterized by unpredictable mood swings?
Unable to fully process the trauma of losing someone (or something) dear to you?
Grief has a way of disrupting your daily routine. Some days, you may feel so full of remorse, regret, and denial that it’s hard to focus on anything besides your loss. Merely getting out of bed and preparing for your day can feel like a massive chore. Everyday activities can serve as a painful reminder of what you lost, triggering both grief and symptoms of depression. As a result, maybe you’re thinking it’s time to seek grief therapy.
Sometimes, You May Feel As If You’re The Only One Grieving
It’s easy to feel like everyone has moved on from the loss except for you, especially if the person you lost was closer to you than anyone else. At first, other people may have written you sympathy cards, given you meals, and performed cultural rituals of support—but as time passed, others may have quickly forgotten and gone back to their old routines. This could leave you feeling alone in your grief and put pressure on you to “grieve quickly” and “get over” your loss.
The truth, however, is that there is no right or wrong way to grieve. Grief has no timeframe, and it’s okay to grieve long after your loss happened. After all, the pain you feel is in proportion to the love you had for the one who passed away.
At Cholula Psychological Services, we’re here to honor your grieving process and help you build long-term coping skills for handling your darkest days. Our therapists may empower you to find meaning in the face of your grief and create a future that acknowledges your loss but still allows you to move forward.
Every Individual—And Culture—Processes Grief Differently
Grief is messy, complicated, and unpredictable. Although many of us are told about the five stages of grief, the reality is that grief rarely follows a neat and tidy storyline. How we grieve often depends on a variety of factors, including our cultural background, family dynamics, and personal beliefs.
Within the Mexican culture that our practice closely works with, there are many cultural traditions for honoring the person that was lost, such as Rosarios and annual remembrance rituals. However, these rituals don’t always lead to deeper understanding or healing. Many people still find themselves grieving even when these traditions are implemented. That’s why it’s important to seek extra support when you’re experiencing symptoms of grief.
Some People Struggle To Distinguish Grief From Other Mental Health Issues
Many of the symptoms of grief—diminished hope, low motivation, irritable mood—may closely resemble depression. As a result, it isn’t always easy to connect the dots between grief and your current emotional struggles. Some days, you might simply feel “off” without knowing why. This is especially the case when grief is suppressed—the effects can show up as over-analyzing, symptoms of depression, and even physical health troubles.
The right therapist can help you understand when symptoms are the result of grief or the result of something else. They can give you the tools and the knowledge to manage these symptoms better in day-to-day life.
Therapy Available In-Office or Through Video.
Seeking Counseling Is A Significant Step Toward Healing Grief
You may not be able to erase your loss, but with the right help and support, you can create a life that honors your loved one’s memory while still building resilience and finding meaning in daily life. You can keep your eyes on the road ahead without losing sight of the one you lost.
At Cholula Psychological Services, our counselors are trained and equipped to support people grieving a wide variety of losses—death, job loss, divorce and separation, etc. We provide in-depth, personalized assessments of all our clients, working to understand their symptoms, behaviors, values, and cultural beliefs. Patterns are identified, coping skills are reinforced, and rituals are created to enhance meaning and connection to the deceased.
The long-term goal is for you to become independent—able to recognize your symptoms, understand your emotional responses, and apply the right strategies when needed. This way, you can navigate your challenges successfully on your own and reduce your reliance on therapy.
Tailoring Our Approach To Grief Counseling
Our clinic takes a comprehensive approach to grief counseling, and we have lots of experience working with people whose grieving process is shaped by their culture. For Hispanic and Latino clients, cultural rituals, traditions, and faith-based approaches often play a key role in processing grief.
As a practice, we welcome various perspectives and cultural views of grief and loss. If you identify as Christian, we can individualize our approach to incorporate faith-based factors that are meaningful to you. For some, this may mean engaging in meaningful activities like planting a tree to symbolize growth and remembrance. For others, it could mean making T-shirts or paintings, keeping a diary to communicate with the deceased, writing a letter and burning it so that the ashes go up into the sky, and celebrating the Dia de Los Muertos.
Many of our therapists use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as a framework for helping clients navigate grief and loss. CBT is especially useful in teaching you to identify negative thoughts and replace them with positive thoughts. It can also help you understand the difference between grief and depression, making it easier to manage your symptoms in daily life.
By fostering understanding, empowerment, and emotional support, our mission is to help you find hope in this season of loss.
You May Have Some Questions About Grief Counseling…
How long will it take for me to feel better?
There is no magic timetable for grief—how long it takes often depends on the severity of your symptoms and the significance of their loss. Everyone heals at their own pace, and therapy is all about honoring that pace and providing you with evidence-based tools for healing. In general, when actively participating in treatment, clients may experience a decrease of symptoms in a few weeks or months, as therapy generally accelerates the healing process.
How do I know if what I’m experiencing is grief or depression?
The most important question to ask yourself is whether or not you had depression symptoms prior to your loss. After all, grief usually increases depression symptoms that were already present, but it can also bring about symptoms that weren’t there before. If you first experienced suffering because of your loss and only developed depression afterward, the primary symptom in that case is usually grief. The right grief therapist can help you figure out whether your struggles are more related to grief or depression.
Do you have therapists that can understand and connect with my Hispanic/Latino roots?
Our team uniquely bridges the gap between clients' cultural roots and their experiences in their local community. All of our staff are fully bilingual in English and Spanish and understand the cultural dynamics of being from another country as well as living in Santa Ana and the greater California region. We provide a safe and welcoming space for Spanish-speaking clients and their families.