First grief counselling session and feeling a bit silly

[mummylon2]

Hello,

Just wondering if anyone can relate. I've just had my first session with a grief counsellor and feel a bit daft. Went in and immediately started crying to a complete stranger. Just feel like a bit of an idiot. Can anyone relate? Please tell me it gets easier?!

Don’t feel daft, you’re not at all. You need to release all those tears somehow and it’s going to come out if you’re in a place (ie therapy) where someone’s inviting you to open up about it. All the best to you and so sorry for your loss 💐

It does get slightly easier. It's hard but sometimes speaking to someone who isn't someone you know, helps so much. You can be honest about how you really feel and actually get the feelings out. Its a road we have to go down and having this support from the counsellor will help even if it doesn't feel like it. Well done for doing it and taking the first step.

I had grief counselling relatively soon after my father died and realised after the first session that it was too soon and I wasn’t ready to talk about it yet. I revisited it about a year+ later (with another counsellor) and found it much more helpful . Have revisited it at various points in the last decade and without fail have cried during the first session (a new counsellor each time) don’t beat yourself up about it. There is no wrong or right way of dealing with grief or how you behave in your grief.

It's fine and believe me grief counsellors have all experienced their own grief and see it all.

It was one of the best things idea. I was surprised by it. Lots of crying but eventually you get to a point where you realised that you don't need the support of the grief counsellor any more.

remember everyone's grief is different. don't worry about tears. it's good to let them out - much better than bottling it up. This part of managing your grief - if you feel the urge to cry, you should do. It helps you process your emotions.

Thanks so much for all of the encouragement. I had my second session today and although there were tears, I felt a little more in control of them today. Think u have a bit more work to do than the grief counselling alone. It's quite amazing how things are linked. Xx

I was advised not to have sessions too soon after the bereavement for this reason. But it is human to cry. Think what you want to get out of it.

You are so right about everything being linked. We covered every subject under the sun in my sessions: family, childhood, parenting, husband's background.
I cried loads (but I didn't think it was surprising, I cry at everything anyway, so going to bereavement counselling was always going to make me wail!), but I also laughed tons, mostly at myself and my various assumptions/overthinking everything.
It was probably one of the most useful 'things' I've ever done and I am indebted to my counsellor for giving me the tools to deal with different situations on a daily basis.