Grief is the emotional and physical response to losing someone or something important to you. While it is most often associated with the death of a loved one, grief can also follow the loss of a relationship, a job, or even a major life change.
Grief often comes in waves—it may bring sadness, anger, guilt, or even moments of relief. Physical symptoms like fatigue, sleep problems, or loss of appetite are also common. Unlike depression, grief is usually tied to a specific loss, but it can still interfere with daily life and feel overwhelming.
Although grief has no set timeline, support can help ease the process. Therapy offers a safe space to talk, learn coping strategies, and find a path forward while honoring your loss.
The experience of depression is different for everyone, but it can affect the way you think, feel, and behave.
Some of the emotional and physical signs of depression include:
You may have heard of the five stages of grief. They reflect the full spectrum of grief, but not everyone experiences all five stages or experiences them in order.
The five stages of grief are:
Denial: You have trouble believing the loss is real or believe you can reverse it.
Anger: You feel angry at whoever (or whatever) you believe caused the loss, including doctors, God, yourself, or others.
Bargaining: You imagine “what if” scenarios that might have prevented the loss. You may feel guilty during this stage for things that happened before the loss, even if they’re completely unrelated to it.
Depression: This can be the longest and most complex stage. You may feel deep sadness or emotional detachment, have trouble eating and sleeping, or experience other physical and emotional symptoms. In this stage, you are coming to terms with the loss.
Acceptance: You won’t necessarily feel “better” at this stage, but you can accept that the loss has occurred and begin to think about moving forward.
Our coordinated care includes therapy and psychiatry to help you manage mental health symptoms, navigate life challenges, and build resilience.
One-on-one therapy can be helpful when you’re grieving, especially if you’re having trouble coping with your emotions or your grief is affecting your ability to live your life. A therapist can help you develop coping strategies and work through your difficult emotions.
For many people, medication is an effective treatment for depression. A Brave psychiatrist can work with you to find out if mental health medication is right for you.
Talking with a group of other people who are also grieving can be a helpful way to process your feelings and cope with them. Brave Health offers therapist-led support groups for people who are grieving. You can access these groups virtually.
Offering love and compassion to someone who is grieving can help them cope with their loss.
Simply being present can provide support to someone who is grieving. Offer to help with everyday tasks, like cooking, cleaning, shopping, and childcare. Or just sit with your loved one and do whatever they’re up for, such as talking or watching TV together.
Phrases like “it’s for the best” can be very painful to someone experiencing a loss, so it’s important to avoid making those kinds of comments. Try not to judge your loved one’s feelings either. You may not understand why they’re feeling or acting a certain way, but it’s likely a normal part of the grieving process.
Brave Health believes that everyone should have access to high-quality mental health care.
Our providers are in-network with a wide variety of insurance plans, including Medicaid, Medicare, and Commercial insurance. Many Medicaid plans waive a co-payment for services. Contact your insurance plan to find out the total cost of care.
We also accept private patients who do not have insurance. See our fee schedule.
Brave Health’s team of clinicians includes licensed physicians, nurse practitioners, therapists, and counselors. Each of our team members has received specialized training in mental health care.
At Brave Health, therapists typically meet with patients for 50-minute video sessions on our secure telehealth platform. The frequency of sessions can vary based on the individual's needs and goals.
You will need a computer, smartphone, or tablet with a camera and microphone, as well as a reliable internet connection.
You will receive a text reminder 24 hours before your appointment, and another text and email reminder 15 minutes prior to the appointment with a link to the telehealth session. At that time, prepare to move to a private space and click the link to join a private waiting room where the clinician will arrive.
During the first 60-minute video appointment, the mental health clinician will ask questions, evaluate needs, and present treatment options.
