Grief Services

Grieving is a process that takes time, and we understand grief at Mission of Mercy. People grief in different ways and we take the tame to support the grieving process. We also offer individual support counseling to allow you to express your grief in your own way and time.

What to Expect

Feelings

  • shock, numbness, denial, disbelief
  • anxiety, fear, panic
  • loss, emptiness
  • loneliness
  • sadness, depression
  • loss of pleasure
  • hurt, frustration
  • helplessness, hopelessness
  • explosive emotions — anger, hate, resentment, jealousy
  • guilt, regret
  • disorganization, confusion
  • relief, emancipation
  • reconciliation, re-establishment

Social Dimensions

  • social withdrawal
  • fearful of being alone
  • dependent, clingy behavior
  • surround yourself with others as a form of distraction
  • irritable
  • moody
  • attempts to replace the loss
  • changes in role, status, family system

Spiritual

  • searching for meaning
  • asking the “why” questions
  • mystical experiences
  • reassessing values, beliefs, and priorities
  • feeling anger at God
  • feeling abandoned by God
  • experiencing comfort from God and faith community
  • exploring new dimensions of faith
  • using rituals to help the healing process
  • prayer and meditation

Thoughts

  • disbelief
  • confusion
  • preoccupation with the deceased
  • sense of presence
  • lack of concentration
  • trouble remembering things

Behaviors

  • absent-minded behavior
  • crying and sobbing
  • restlessness, inability to sit still
  • trying to “stay busy”
  • visiting places or carrying objects which remind you of the deceased
  • treasuring objects belonging to the deceased
  • avoiding reminders of the deceased
  • experiencing “grief attacks” — sudden, acute upsurges of grief
  • dreams of the deceased

Physical Dimensions

  • fatigue, lack of energy
  • hollowness in the stomach, stomach-ache, other gastrointestinal disturbances
  • sleep difficulties (too much or too little; interrupted sleep)
  • weight loss or weight gain (with associated appetite changes)
  • feelings of emptiness and heaviness
  • heart palpitations, trembling, shaking, hot flashes, and other indications of anxiety
  • nervousness, tension, agitation, irritability
  • shortness of breath
  • headache
  • muscle aches and pains
  • chest pain, pressure, or discomfort