Healing after Loss: Emotion-Focused Support for Your Journey
Grief is a deeply personal and emotional response to loss — most commonly the death of a loved one, but also the end of a relationship, the loss of fertility, a job, or a significant life transition. Whether expected or sudden, grief can shake the foundation of our lives, leaving us feeling lost, overwhelmed, or emotionally numb.
At the Cyprus Institute for Emotion-Focused Therapy (CiEFT), we understand that grief is not something to “get over,” but something to gently work through. We walk beside you to help you process pain, honour loss, and rediscover meaning in a life that has been changed.
Understanding Grief
Grief doesn’t follow a straight path. It comes in waves — a memory, a scent, or a date can bring it flooding back. These reactions are part of the process.
Grief appears in many different ways and may include:
Emotional symptoms
- Sadness, longing, or guilt
- Anger or relief
- Emotional numbness or confusion
Cognitive symptoms
- Difficulty concentrating
- Memory problems
- Sense of disconnection from reality
Physical symptoms
- Tightness in chest or throat
- Sleep disturbances or fatigue
- Changes in appetite, headaches, or nausea
Behavioural symptoms
- Withdrawing from others
- Avoiding reminders of the loss
- Feeling unable to function or focus
Everyone grieves differently. Some people feel intensely and cry often; others may feel shut down or delay grieving for weeks or months. All responses are valid.
Grief or Depression?
Grief and depression can overlap, but they are not the same.
- Grief often has a clear cause, like a death or breakup. Emotions may come and go.
- Depression can feel constant and isn’t always linked to a specific event. It often includes hopelessness, worthlessness, and withdrawal from life.
Grief can also lead to depression, especially when the pain is prolonged or overwhelming. If you’re unsure, we’re here to help.
Common Causes of Grief
Grief can follow many kinds of loss:
- Death of a loved one
- Death of a pet
- End of a romantic or family relationship
- Loss of job, health, home, fertility, or identity
- Migration or separation from one’s homeland
- Anticipation of one’s own death or major life changes
How Emotion-Focused Therapy Can Help
Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) provides a supportive space to understand your emotions, access inner strength, and move through grief with care.
EFT can help you:
- Gently process painful or unspoken emotions
- Release guilt, anger, or unexpressed feelings
- Reconnect with your values, identity, and capacity for healing
- Honour your grief while also making space for new life
Tailored Grief Therapy — Online and In-Person
Whether you’re in Nicosia, Cyprus, or living abroad, our trained practitioners offer in-person and online grief counselling adapted to your unique process and pace.
We welcome adolescents and adults who are navigating loss and looking for compassionate, effective support.
Helpful Resources on Grief
Recommended Books
- Living Beyond Loss: Questions and Answers About Grief and Bereavement – Robert Neimeyer
- Να αγαπάς και να χάνεις: Αντιμετωπίζοντας την απώλεια – Robert Neimeyer
- The Other Side of Sadness – George Bonanno
- It’s OK That You’re Not OK – Megan Devine
- Grief Works – Julia Samuel
- Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief – David Kessler
Further Reading Online
Begin Your Healing
Grief is not something to fix and it doesn’t have a timeline — it is something to feel, carry, and grow through. Let us walk with you.
Contact us to schedule a consultation or learn more about our grief and loss support services.
“When we grieve, we are not just mourning the person—we are mourning the world that made sense with them in it.” — Robert Neimeyer
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