Losing someone at any stage of your life can be a challenging experience to overcome, and trying to do it alone can make it harder. When you have lost a loved one, this can often affect your life emotionally and physically. Since many have to work through the stages of grief, they’ll hit different emotional challenges such as depression that can interfere with someone’s ability to accomplish their daily tasks.
This common experience that we all share is unpleasant. However, having loved ones to help us through difficult times can make it easier to overcome. So, how do you support your family or friend that has lost someone? Here’s a guide on six things you can do to comfort someone who has lost a loved one.
Are you or a loved one interested in getting professional counseling to overcome your grief? Contact Dana Behavioral Health today to get guidance!
1. Reach Out
One of the best things you can do for someone struggling to cope with the loss of a loved one is to reach out. You may feel hesitant to contact them if you feel like you’re obligated. However, this simple action can take you a long way as you show that you’re there for them in their time of need.
Knowing someone is there for you in one of your hardest moments makes you feel loved. The action of reaching out when someone is living through a challenging moment in their life can help deepen your relationship with them and make them feel reassured that they have support. Some people may not respond to you reaching out, but if you continue to let them know you’re there for them and see how they’re doing, they’ll be supported and comforted.
2. Judge Their Reaction
When you reach out to a grieving loved one, the gesture comes from a place of love and concern. And while you may want to help them through the grieving process, that is an individual journey they must go on in their own time. So, you can ask them how they’re doing and handling the loss, but if they looked reserved to talking about it, then it could be best to change the topic.
Although you may want them to come to you when they’re trying to work through their grief, sometimes being the person to get their mind off the situation is just as important. If you can sense that they still need time to themselves before talking about it with others, you can help them accomplish tasks or take them out to get their mind off it. This shows that you care and are available whenever they change their mind and want to talk.
3. Give Them Love
Showing someone that you love them can look different for everyone. You may be more inclined to bake them something or help them with tasks that need to get done. And providing that kind of love to them is crucial for showing them that you’re there for them.
You should also consider what kind of love that person needs to make them feel supported and comforted. They may be a person that wants help to accomplish their daily tasks while they’re dealing with their grief, or they may just want you to sit with them and hold their hand. Asking them what they need from you right now can be a good way to identify what they want so they feel loved and supported through their difficult experience.
Are you interested in getting grief counseling to help you learn healthy coping mechanisms? Schedule an appointment with Dana Behavioral Health today!
4. Listen to Them
Although it may seem obvious or easy to do, listening to the person who lost someone is crucial for making them feel like they have help. Actively listening to what they’re saying can help them feel heard and validated for the experience they’re going through. It shows them that you’re willing to be a person they can go to in times of need instead of bottling up their emotions and potentially having that come out negatively down the line.
Listening to them also means you don’t need to fix the situation. Although we have an instinct to help them solve their problems, this may not be the best idea. Sometimes, the person you love just needs someone to listen to them and allow them to work through their feelings without judgment.
5. Prepare for the Worst
As unpleasant as it may seem, preparing for the worst can be crucial for being there when they need your support the most. Grieving is not a linear process that occurs at specific times. Sometimes the worst of it can hit in the middle of the night, and that person may need you to comfort them.
When you’re available for them, that can help ensure they still feel supported throughout their journey. It can help avoid actions with negative consequences, such as suicide. Offering your support through this difficult time and preparing yourself for the emotional turbulence could help you be a better support system and enables that person to reach out for help in times of need.
6. Offer to Connect Them with Help
Offering to connect your love with someone that can help them can be done in a few different ways. One way to offer support is by linking them to people experiencing something similar. Being in a community of people experiencing the same thing can make them feel connected and not alone in their journey.
You can also offer to connect them with professional guidance that allows them to learn healthy coping mechanisms for their emotions. Some people may turn to grief group therapies that allow them to connect with others living through the same experience and get professional guidance. Others may feel more comfortable seeing a therapist alone to work intimately with someone they trust and get the guidance they may need to cope with their grief.
How Can Dana Behavioral Health Help?
Dana Behavioral Health is the place for you if you’re looking for a place that can offer professional guidance for grief. We have professional therapists that can help you or a loved one through the turbulent time after losing someone. At Dana Group, we offer various services to best match your needs, including:
- Medication management
- Individual therapy
- Psychological testing
- Family therapy
- Music therapy
Our grief therapy services can help people of any age, including children. The caring staff that we have allows us to be a valuable resource for children in need of grief therapy.
If you or your loved one is ready to work through their grief and get back on their feet, they can contact us to connect with our Needham, Norwell, or Hanover, Massachusetts clinics. We’re here to help you and your loved ones get through the difficult times in your life with unique behavioral therapy that results in long-lasting positive change.
Are you or a loved one ready to work on your grief journey? Schedule an appointment with our therapists and see how professional grief therapy can help!