Hospice of Westchester

Grief is the normal and healthy reaction to the death of a loved one which everyone experiences in their own unique way. Even though it is normal and natural, it can feel overwhelming at times. We may experience multiple losses throughout our lives without ever having the benefit of any grief education to provide a measure of guidance. For anyone interested in understanding the process more fully or would like some skilled support or just isn’t quite sure what to do with the feelings that await each morning, please contact our bereavement counselors.

Grief can feel very stressful, especially when it happens in the presence of an already full and complicated life. People who are grieving may have difficulty sleeping, experience unusual or increased physical symptoms, become isolated, feel numb, or unable to tolerate offers of support from family and friends. Grief can deplete your energy, and your body’s natural defenses, leaving you feeling more vulnerable than usual.

You may be surprised by the intensity and duration of these feelings. Suppressing the feelings does not work. They keep coming back until they are addressed. Grief takes times and is a healing process. The pain does ease eventually, even though we will never forget the person we have lost.

Counseling Services for Hospice & Palliative Care of Westchester Family Members
Experienced clinical social workers are available to speak with you in person or on the phone to discuss what services might be of help. This service is included in your hospice benefit and is provided throughout the first year of your loss.

Community Bereavement Consultation
As a service to the community, we provide a face-to-face grief assessment
free of charge. This session is designed to help you identify how to best
meet your needs. This may include referring you to a group, individual
counseling or helping you find additional information or support.
Individual grief counseling is also available to community members on a fee-for-service basis.

“Grieving allows us to heal, to remember with love rather than pain. It is a sorting process. One by one you let go of the things that are gone and you mourn for them. One by one you take hold of the things that have become a part of who you are and build again.”

-Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen

You may see something familiar in this passage from Grief: Intimacy’s Reflection:

“There is no one I can talk to…without thinking of him. No one waiting when I come home, nor for whom I wait to tell the small things. How was I to know his death would mean a thousand tiny things? I couldn’t foresee how awkward life would be when I couldn’t look across the kitchen table and ask, ‘Is tenant spelt ent or ant? Far worse is when I get a tune on my brain, hum it on and off all day, and can only remember half the words, and know he would have known them all…”

-Brian de Vries