Trauma, Grief and Loss

Because the experience of trauma often involves loss of some kind – whether it be the loss of an actual person, or the loss of safety, or sense of identity – feelings of grief, loss, and isolation, or abandonment are common in the aftermath of a traumatic event. Feelings of grief are a normal response to loss and usually resolve with the passage of time. When the circumstances of loss are sudden, unexpected or traumatic however, the grieving process can become stuck, leaving survivors in a state of what is known as Complicated or Traumatic Grief. Common symptoms of complicated grief can include distressing intrusive thoughts, excessive feelings of guilt, aloneness, isolation and yearning, sleep disturbance, loss of interest in previously pleasurable activities, and attempts to avoid any reminders of the trauma or loss.

Speaking to a Clinical Psychologist with expertise in trauma diagnosis and treatment about your experiences following a traumatic loss can assist with important understanding about whether the natural grieving process has become disrupted. At the Psychology, Trauma & Mindfulness Centre we can discuss a range of treatment options with you that may help to resolve the symptoms of complicated grief and assist with a return to the normal grieving process.