Crisis/Urgent Support

There is no right or wrong way to grieve.  Grieving is a personal and highly individual experience.  How you grieve depends on many factors, including your personality and coping style, your life experience, your faith, and the nature of the loss.  Whatever your grief experience, it’s important to be patient with yourself and allow the process to naturally unfold. 

The single most important factor in healing from loss is having the support of other people. Even if you aren’t comfortable talking about your feelings under normal circumstances, it’s important to express them when you’re grieving. Sharing your loss makes the burden of grief easier to carry. Wherever the support comes from, accept it and do not grieve alone. Connecting to others will help you heal.

• Turn to friends and family members – Now is the time to lean on the people who care about you, even if you take pride in being strong and self-sufficient.
• Draw comfort from your faith – If you follow a religious tradition, embrace the comfort its mourning rituals can provide. Spiritual activities that are meaningful to you – such as praying, meditating, or going to church – can offer solace. If you’re questioning your faith in the wake of the loss, talk to a clergy member or others in your religious community.
• Talk to a therapist or grief counselor – If your grief feels like too much to bear, counseling services are available to you at the Texas State Counseling Center.  Call 512-245-2208 during business hours and ask for an Urgent Appointment.  An experienced therapist can help you work through intense emotions and overcome obstacles to your grieving.

When you’re grieving, it’s more important than ever to take care of yourself. The stress of a major loss can quickly deplete your energy and emotional reserves. Looking after your physical and emotional needs will help you get through this difficult time.

• Face your feelings. You can try to suppress your grief, but you can’t avoid it forever. In order to heal, you have to acknowledge the pain. Trying to avoid feelings of sadness and loss only prolongs the grieving process. Unresolved grief can also lead to complications such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and health problems.
• Express your feelings in a tangible or creative way. Write about your loss in a journal. If you’ve lost a loved one, write a letter saying the things you never got to say; make a scrapbook or photo album celebrating the person’s life; or get involved in a cause or organization that was important to him or her.
• Look after your physical health. The mind and body are connected. When you feel good physically, you’ll also feel better emotionally. Combat stress and fatigue by getting enough sleep, eating right, and exercising. Don’t use alcohol or drugs to numb the pain of grief or lift your mood artificially.
• Don’t let anyone tell you how to feel, and don’t tell yourself how to feel either. Your grief is your own, and no one else can tell you when it’s time to “move on” or “get over it.” Let yourself feel whatever you feel without embarrassment or judgment.
• Plan ahead for grief “triggers”. Anniversaries, holidays, and milestones can reawaken memories and feelings. Be prepared for an emotional wallop, and know that it’s completely normal.

If you are experiencing any of the following, it may be a good idea to contact a mental health professional in order to help you cope with your grief:

• You wish you had died with your loved one
• You blame yourself for the loss or for failing to prevent it
• You feel numb and disconnected from others for more than a few weeks
• You are unable to perform your normal daily activities

If you experience thoughts of suicide or wishing you had died with your loved one, please use the suicide prevention resources listed on this page.

https://christicenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/CC_GriefBooklet-Web-April-2019.pdf

Virtual and In Person in Austin:  https://christicenter.org/online-groups/

San Marcos:  https://www.griefshare.org/countries/us/states/tx/cities/san_marcos

Round Rock:  https://www.griefshare.org/countries/us/states/tx/cities/round_rock

Austin: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/groups/tx/austin?category=grief

https://sprc.org/tools/resources-survivors-suicide-loss/