Transitioning and Loss

 

Change always involves loss to some degree. The emotional condition attending loss is bereavement. Generally we associate the term bereavement with the death of someone close to us. However we can be bereft of many things in life and fail to recognise the impact of the loss on our emotional wellbeing. This can result in unexplained feelings of sadness, depression, anger, resentment and so on.

 

At times like these, negotiating the transition can be aided by simply talking about it. We are reflective creatures and to have another person simply listen to us helps greatly to discover and accept the reality of the bereavement loss has visited on us. We need to find a space where we can lay out our feelings in an acceptant and non-judgemental environment. Sometimes there is a family member or a trusted friend who can listen, but often such people are also emotional stakeholders in the environment in which we live and therefore cannot easily have a neutral position. This is where talking to a counsellor can be helpful as he or she is completely separate from our lives.