When a loved one passes, there is much to do, such as planning their funeral, finding a last resting place, and letting everyone else know. However, even more importantly, you must remember to take care of yourself. One aspect of caring for yourself is facing your grief, but many people can't cope with their loss without help. Grief counseling helps people cope with the loss of a loved one. If you are ready to start taking care of yourself again, check out these three facts about grief counseling.

There Are Many Sages of Grief

Regardless of your background, gender, race, etc., when you lose someone you love, you'll experience the stages of grief. These five stages include denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. TV and movies tend to portray these stages in order, but that isn't always the case. You may jump from stage to stage, repeating them more than once. For example, you may yo-yo between being angry and being depressed before you finally learn to accept the loss. During your first session with a grief counselor, you will learn more about these stages, how to cope with them and how to finally move on to the final stage of acceptance.

Individual and Group Sessions Are Available

As with many types of counseling, you can choose between individual and group sessions. Individual sessions usually are expensive because you must pay a therapist per hour. Group sessions may be cheaper or even free. The advantage to individual sessions is you get the therapists full attention, and you get total privacy. In group sessions, everyone in the group hears your thoughts, feelings, fears, etc. Plus, the therapist has to help the entire group instead of just you. However, being part of a grief counseling group gives you a support system with people who are also still struggling with grief.

You'll Need to Discuss the Loss Repeatedly

Not everyone likes dwelling on a loss. In fact, when a loved one passes, many people may try to forget, getting stuck in denial, anger, bargaining or depression. In order to properly heal and accept the loss, you must grief properly. Part of that means talking about the loss and how it directly impacts you physically and emotionally. Don't expect to only tell your story once. You will likely need to repeat yourself and your story frequently as you work on overcoming grief. Only by talking and exploring how the loss affects you can you finally let go and accept the loss.

If you are a young adult who is suffering from grief, you may benefit from counseling to finally help you overcome the steps and reach acceptance. For more information about grief counseling or to schedule a first appointment, contact a company like Lifeline in your area today.