Grief:
       Grief is a normal response to ANY loss (a broken relationship, a change of social or employment status, the loss of someone dear).  The process of grief is based on the individual's perception of loss.  That is, what one feels, is what's felt.  Grieving is extremely hard work, taking both physical and emotional energy to cope with the inevitable changes that accompany the loss.  Grief can also be very painful, difficult to deal bear, and at times impossible to resolve.  But with time the pain (hopefully) passes and peace comes.

Loss and grief are sources of stress for the individual experiencing the loss, for the family, and also for the supportive caregivers.  Unresolved grief can lead to serious physical, emotional, and psychological problems that can seriously affect the individual's quality of life. Some people need help to deal with loss.  In effect, they need help to grieve.

While it is important to be able to identify behaviours associated with grief, it is also necessary for individuals to understand their own manner of grieving before any offer of assistance can be extended.
 

Mourning:
           Mourning is the process by which the grieving individual undoes his/her connection with what he/she has lost.  it is an introspective process that helps the person deal with grief on both a conscious and subconscious level.  Just as perceptions and reactions to grief are unique to each individual, there is no one style of mourning.  The rituals of mourning (i.e., funerals and burial rites) are an extension of one's social and cultural background.
 

Bereavement:
                    Bereavement is the state of suffering a loss and involves the emotional and physical responses to grief.  Individuals use the tasks of mourning to cope with their grief and loss.  Bereaved people are those who having recently experienced a loss, are coping with their grief and are going through the process of mourning.
 

Denial: " It can't be true"!

Anger: "Why me?"  "Why us?"

Bargaining:  "Maybe I can bargain with God."

Depression:  accompanies grief and mourning as death approaches

Acceptance:  of the inevitable by the client and family.
 

Complicated Grief is experienced when the work of grief is too difficult to bear.  If any of the following symptoms is present, the individual is as risk and is in need of INTENSIVE COUNSELING.
 

• severe depression (as diagnosed by a physician)
• drug or alcohol dependency
• major personality changes
• chronic health problems
• feelings or expressions of suicide
• loss of decision making power

Anticipatory Grief refers to grieving before the actual loss has occurred.  This is usually seen with family members, friends. and caregivers, but people who are dying can also experience anticipatory grief.  this process allows individuals the time to absorb the reality of loss in a gradual fashion.  it provides time for completion of "unfinished business".  Some signs of anticipatory grief may include:
 
 

• rehearsal of the death
• increased concern for the dying person
• depression
• attempts to adjust to the aftermath of the death

As previously stated, mourning is the process that helps people cope with grief.  While the stages of grief do not progress in any set order, there are four tasks related to mourning which do follow in sequence.

TASK ONE:     Acceptance of the reality of the Loss by talking about the dead person and the circumstances surrounding the death to help soothe and dispel feelings of shock and denial.

TASK TWO:    Experiencing the Pain of Grief, while difficult to bear, allows the grieving person to understand that this suffering will pass.

TASK THREE:   Adjustment to Living Without the Loved One comes when understanding the relationship with the deceased and the part he/she played in the life of the survivor.

TASK FOUR:   Letting go.  This is perhaps the most difficult task to accomplish.  People may fear that they are not honouring the memory of their loved ones by moving on with their life and new relationships.