Have You Experienced the Loss of a Loved One?

Joseph Kirkpatrick, PhD, LPC discusses the grief/bereavement process and the many symptoms associated with it. There are many myths surrounding the grieving process and how best to cope with it. Some common ones are that you can get through it by staying busy, that there is a timeline to “just get over it,” that it is experienced in 7 distinct ordered stages, that the loss is too much to bear, that you can tough it out, that you should feel guilty and that you will never be happy again. He also covers signs and symptoms that you may need to seek professional help.

Thank you for watching my video blog and I sincerely hope you found it helpful! In summary, everyone can tap into their inner strengths and work through grief. Humans are, in most cases, intuitively hard wired to know how to cope with loss. While it may not be evident early on, a well-managed grief process can be transformative in a positive way and ultimately re-define the purpose of your life. The suggested reading materials mentioned in this video are: “Bearing the Unbearable”, “Resilient Grieving”, “I Wasn’t Ready to Say Goodbye”, “When Grief is Complicated” and Dr. Alan Wolfelt’s Center for Loss and Life Transition website.

Be on the lookout for more videos on various therapeutic topics in the future. I welcome your comments, questions and inquiries on this video, as well as how professional counseling may be helpful for addiction and many other mental health concerns. You may reach me directly via email through the contact form on my website www.DoctorJFK.com. Visiting my website will also provide you with information about me and my practice in Atlanta, GA. In addition, there are several years’ worth of blogs I’ve written on various topics that may be of interest, along with an opportunity to subscribe to the blog which will include my upcoming videos sent directly to your email. I may also be reached by phone or text at 678-316-3991.