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You Don't Have to
"Get Over" Your Grief
Grief can change everything.
You may be grieving the death of someone you love, the end of a relationship, a major change in your life, or a future you thought you would have.
Some days may feel manageable. Other days, grief can hit you unexpectedly and make it difficult to do anything else.
There is no single right way to grieve, and healing doesn’t mean forgetting or moving on from someone you love.
Therapy can give you a place to process your loss, make sense of what you’re experiencing, and learn how to carry your grief while continuing to live your life.
You Don't Have to
"Get Over" Your Grief
Grief can change everything.
You may be grieving the death of someone you love, the end of a relationship, a major change in your life, or a future you thought you would have.
Some days may feel manageable. Other days, grief can hit you unexpectedly and make it difficult to do anything else.
There is no single right way to grieve, and healing doesn’t mean forgetting or moving on from someone you love.
Therapy can give you a place to process your loss, make sense of what you’re experiencing, and learn how to carry your grief while continuing to live your life.
Does Grief Feel Like This?
Maybe you…
- Feel overwhelmed by sadness, loneliness, anger, guilt, or disbelief
- Think about the person or loss constantly—or try not to think about it at all
- Find yourself missing the life you had before the loss
- Experience waves of grief that seem to come out of nowhere
- Wonder who you are or what your life is supposed to look like now
- Feel guilty about things you wish you had said or done differently
- Are struggling with anniversaries, holidays, birthdays, or other reminders of your loss
- Feel disconnected from other people who don't seem to understand what you're experiencing
- Have difficulty concentrating, sleeping, eating, or keeping up with everyday responsibilities
Grief doesn’t always look like sadness.
You may feel angry, numb, relieved, confused, restless, or even okay for a while.
You may laugh, enjoy yourself, or have a good day—and then feel guilty for experiencing happiness.
You may also feel grief over something other than a death.
The end of a marriage. A friendship. A career. Your health. A dream. A version of yourself.
Grief is a response to loss, and loss can take many forms.
Grief Isn't Something You Need to "Get Over"
Grief is not a problem that needs to be solved or a timeline you need to follow.
When someone or something important is lost, your mind, body, emotions, relationships, and sense of identity may all be affected.
You may find yourself thinking, “I should be doing better by now.”
But grief doesn’t follow a schedule.
Healing doesn’t mean forgetting the person you lost or pretending the loss didn’t matter.
It means learning how to carry the loss while gradually finding ways to continue living.
Therapy can provide a place where you don’t have to minimize your grief or rush through it.
How Grief Can Affect Your Mind & Body
⚠️Important small disclaimer:
Grief can affect both mental and physical health. New, severe, or concerning physical symptoms should always be discussed with a medical professional.
What Is the Difference Between Grief and Complicated Grief?
Grief is a natural response to loss.
It can be painful and disruptive, but over time, many people find that the intensity of their grief gradually changes. The loss remains meaningful, but they are able to reconnect with other parts of their lives while continuing to remember and honor what they’ve lost.
Complicated grief—sometimes referred to clinically as prolonged grief disorder—occurs when intense grief remains persistent and significantly interferes with a person’s ability to function or move forward.
You may feel intensely preoccupied with the person who died, experience overwhelming longing, feel unable to accept the loss, or find that grief continues to dominate your life long after others might expect you to be adjusting.
This doesn’t mean there is a “correct” amount of time to grieve.
The question isn’t simply how long you’ve been grieving. It’s how the grief is affecting your life and whether you feel stuck in it.
A therapist can help you understand what you’re experiencing and determine whether additional support may be helpful.
Why Can Grief Feel Like a Cycle?
We can help you change this cycle.
Loss
Pain /
longing
longing
Reminders
Emotional
overwhelm
overwhelm
Withdrawal /
avoidance
avoidance
Less
connection
connection
Increased
loneliness
loneliness
More grief
Grief can come in waves.
A song, photograph, smell, holiday, place, or ordinary moment can suddenly bring the loss rushing back.
You may try to avoid reminders because they’re painful. But avoiding people, places, memories, or emotions can sometimes leave you feeling increasingly isolated.
You may also find yourself caught between wanting to hold onto the person or life you’ve lost and wanting to find a way to move forward.
This is where therapy can help.
Therapy can help you make room for grief while gradually rebuilding connection, meaning, and a sense of life beyond the loss.
How Grief Therapy Can Help
Grief Can Change Your Sense of Who You Are
Loss doesn’t just change what you have.
Sometimes it changes who you are.
You may no longer be a spouse, parent, caregiver, employee, or friend in the same way you once were. You may be trying to figure out what your life means now that someone or something central to it is gone.
You may wonder:
“Who am I now?”
“What am I supposed to do with my life?”
“How can I be happy when someone I love is gone?”
There aren’t simple answers to these questions.
Therapy can provide a space to explore them without rushing toward an answer.
You can honor what you’ve lost while still creating a meaningful life moving forward.
Meet Our Therapists Who Help with Grief
Ken Evanoski, LCSW
Ken is a licensed clinical social
worker and graduate of the University of Pittsburgh
School of Social Work. He…
William Forsythe, LPC
William Forsythe earned his
bachelor’s of science degree in Psychology
from Penn State University and his…
What Happens After You Apply?
Parking: Parking is available in the lot behind the building, accessible from East Penn Street, as well as on-street parking in front of the building. Additional parking is just a short walk from Main Street.
About Us
Our offices are located in a classic Victorian building in the city of Butler, Pennsylvania. Parking is available in our lot off East Penn Street (immediately behind our building) and on the street immediately in front of our building. Additional parking is just a short walk from Main Street.
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ADDRESS
Wellness Works Counseling LLC
349 N. McKean Street
Butler, Pennsylvania USA
Call: (724)282-0332
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If you’re in crisis: Call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline). Butler County, PA residents can also call 800-292-3866.