Grief Counselling

Presenting Concerns and Context:

• Summarise the client’s current grief presentation, including emotional, cognitive, physical, and behavioural responses to loss. Note any changes in grief intensity or expression since previous sessions.
• Describe the nature of the loss being addressed, such as the death of a loved one, non-death loss such as divorce, job loss, health loss, and the client’s relationship to what was lost.
• Note any anniversary reactions, significant dates, or triggering events discussed in this session.

Grief Expression and Processing:

• Document specific grief reactions observed or reported during the session, such as yearning, sadness, anger, guilt, relief, numbness, confusion, searching behaviours. Document the client’s emotional expressions, including intensity and variability.
• Describe how the client expressed their grief during the session, including any metaphors, stories, or meaning-making narratives shared.
• Note any significant memories, reflections, or meaning-making attempts related to the loss.
• Note any oscillation between loss-oriented and restoration-oriented coping as described in the Dual Process Model of grief, if observed.
• Include any cultural, spiritual, or religious beliefs that inform the client’s grieving process.
• Summarise the client’s adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies, including avoidance, seeking social support, engaging in rituals, or using distraction.

Interventions:

• Document the specific therapeutic approaches applied, such as validation, mindfulness, expressive techniques, narrative therapy, and meaning reconstruction. Describe any structured interventions, such as guided imagery, letter-writing to the deceased, empty chair work, or role-playing unfinished conversations. Note any psychoeducation provided about grief processes, common reactions, or coping strategies.
• Detail any resources, referrals, or recommendations provided during the session.
• Summarise the client’s responses to interventions, including any notable insights, emotional shifts, or resistance.

Key Insights or Themes:

• Identify any key themes discussed, such as guilt, anger, numbness, relief, longing, existential concerns, or identity shifts.
• Highlight any new awareness, perspectives, or emotional shifts noted in the session.
• Document any movement toward acceptance, integration of loss, or changes in the client’s relationship with the deceased, such as continued bonds, adjusting roles, meaning reconstruction.
• Summarise any areas where the client expressed a sense of relief, resilience, or emerging hope.

Challenges and Barriers:

• Identify any difficulties in the grieving process, such as self-blame, unresolved issues, societal expectations, family conflict.
• Note any emotional avoidance, stuck points, or areas where the client feels unable to move forward.
• If relevant, note any indications of complex, prolonged or traumatic grief and potential need for further support.

Risk Assessment:

• Summarise any risk factors, including suicidal ideation, self-harm, or significant functional impairment due to grief.
• List protective factors and any agreed-upon safety planning if concerns were raised.

Next Steps and Plan:

• Outline the proposed focus for the next session, such as exploring specific aspects of the loss, grief rituals, or processing difficult emotions.
• List any between-session tasks or reflections assigned, such as journaling, engaging in memorialisation activities, or practicing self-compassion exercises.
• Provide the time, day, and date of any upcoming session agreed upon between therapist and client.

Summary:

Provide a concise, 3–4 sentence recap of key points from the session.