Grief & Loss Counseling
Grief is a deeply personal response to loss. While we often associate grief with the death of someone we love, people can experience grief following many different kinds of losses and life changes.
There is no single right way to grieve and no specific timeline you are expected to follow.
At Avenues of Counseling and Mediation, our therapists provide grief and loss counseling for adults, children, and teens who are navigating bereavement, significant life changes, and other experiences of loss.
Grief counseling is available at our Akron and Medina, Ohio counseling offices.
Understanding Grief & Loss
Grief can affect your emotions, thoughts, relationships, physical well-being, and ability to manage everyday responsibilities.
Some people experience intense sadness, while others may feel anger, guilt, anxiety, numbness, confusion, or even relief. These feelings can change from day to day or appear unexpectedly after a period of feeling better.
Grief does not always follow a predictable series of stages. Each person's experience is influenced by the loss itself, their relationship to what was lost, their circumstances, support system, previous experiences, and many other factors.
Grief Isn't Only About Death
The death of a spouse, partner, parent, child, family member, friend, or other loved one can create profound grief.
People can also experience grief following other significant losses, including:
Divorce or the end of a relationship
Pregnancy loss or infertility
Loss of a friendship
Retirement or job loss
Changes in health or physical abilities
A chronic or serious medical diagnosis
Becoming a caregiver
Moving away from a longtime home or community
Changes in family roles
Loss of independence
The death of a pet
Major life transitions
Unexpected changes in plans for the future
Sometimes people struggle to recognize these experiences as grief because no one has died. Counseling can provide space to acknowledge and process losses that others may not fully understand.
How Can Grief Counseling Help?
Counseling cannot erase a loss or tell you how quickly you should move forward.
Instead, grief counseling provides a supportive place to process what has happened and understand the thoughts, emotions, and changes you're experiencing.
Depending on your needs, counseling may help you:
Express and understand difficult emotions
Develop healthy ways of coping with grief
Adjust to changes in everyday life
Navigate changes in relationships or family roles
Work through guilt, anger, regret, or unresolved feelings
Manage anxiety or depression associated with a loss
Find ways to maintain meaningful connections and memories
Adjust to a life that may look different than you expected
Identify sources of support
Reconnect with meaningful activities and relationships
The goal isn't to forget the person or experience you lost. Therapy can help you find ways to carry the loss while continuing to live a meaningful life.
When Does Grief Become Difficult to Manage?
There is no standard timeline for grief. Difficult emotions can continue for months or longer, and reminders, anniversaries, holidays, or major life events may cause grief to become more noticeable again.
Counseling may be especially helpful when grief feels overwhelming, isn't becoming more manageable over time, significantly interferes with everyday functioning, or contributes to depression, anxiety, isolation, substance use, or other concerns.
You don't have to determine whether your grief is “serious enough” before reaching out for support.
Grief Counseling for Children & Teens
Children and teenagers experience grief too, although they may express it differently than adults.
Changes in behavior, irritability, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, problems at school, withdrawal, sleep changes, or increased need for reassurance can sometimes occur after a significant loss.
Our therapists can provide age-appropriate support to help children and teens understand their emotions and develop healthy ways of coping with loss.
Learn more about Child Counseling
Learn more about Teen Counseling
Grief After Pregnancy Loss or Infertility
Pregnancy loss and infertility can involve profound grief, including the loss of expectations, plans, and experiences someone imagined for their future.
Because these losses are not always openly discussed or fully understood by others, individuals and couples may feel particularly isolated in their grief.
Avenues provides counseling for individuals navigating pregnancy loss, infertility, and other perinatal mental health concerns.
Learn more about Perinatal & Postpartum Mental Health Counseling
Grief After the Loss of a Pet
The death of a pet can be deeply painful. Pets often play significant roles in our families, routines, relationships, and emotional lives.
People grieving a pet may also feel that others don't fully understand the significance of their loss. Counseling can provide a place where that grief can be acknowledged without minimizing the relationship you had with your pet.
Grief Counseling for Older Adults
Older adulthood can sometimes involve multiple losses occurring within a relatively short period of time, including the deaths of loved ones, retirement, changes in health, caregiving responsibilities, relocation, or changes in independence.
Counseling can provide support while navigating these losses and adjusting to changing circumstances.
Learn more about Medicare Counseling & Mental Health Services
Grief Counseling in Akron & Medina, Ohio
Avenues of Counseling and Mediation has therapists who provide grief and loss counseling at both our Akron and Medina counseling offices.
Grief Counseling in Akron, Ohio
Our Akron counselors work with individuals experiencing bereavement, significant losses, and difficult life transitions.
View Counseling Services in Akron
Grief Counseling in Medina, Ohio
Our Medina counselors also provide support for individuals navigating grief, bereavement, and other experiences of loss.
Frequently Asked Questions About Grief Counseling
How long does grief last?
There is no universal timeline for grief. Everyone experiences and adjusts to loss differently, and feelings of grief can sometimes reappear around anniversaries, holidays, memories, or other meaningful events.
Do I need counseling if my grief is normal?
Grief does not have to be abnormal or severe for counseling to be helpful. Some people simply benefit from having a supportive place to process what they're experiencing.
Can therapy help after the loss of a pet?
Yes. The death of a pet can be a significant loss, and counseling can provide support for individuals having difficulty coping with pet-related grief.
Can children and teenagers receive grief counseling?
Yes. Avenues has therapists who work with children and adolescents experiencing grief and loss. Our intake team can help match your child or teen with an appropriate counselor.
Do you offer grief counseling in both Akron and Medina?
Yes. Grief and loss counseling is available at both our Akron and Medina, Ohio counseling offices. Therapist availability varies.
Learn more about counseling for grief
Ready to Talk With a Grief Counselor?
You don't have to navigate grief alone or wait until it becomes overwhelming to seek support.
Our intake team can help connect you with a counselor whose experience, location, approach, and availability fit your needs.