Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps individuals alter bad behaviors through reframing. In depression and grief, reframing can help build new perspectives and to approach life differently. Reframing and labeling something in a positive light can help an individual understand life differently and move forward with healthier behaviors. In grief and loss meaning reconstruction and reframing is especially important in understand loss but also understanding one’s reaction to loss.
Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification program and see if it meets your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in Grief Counseling.. The program is for both clinical professional counselors as well as pastoral counselors. Please also review the video below on reframing and meaning reconstruction
Multicultural counseling proficiencies are essential to good counseling. Since Western counseling initially emerged from Europe it is culturally immersed with European culture values. European culture is very individualistic, self-centered and free of many forms of oppression due to the fact Europe was the colonizing force between the 16th and 19th Centuries. Furthermore, while Europe’s secular awakening drove a wedge between its Christian culture and itself, Christianity still plays a key part of life in millions of individuals of European descent, as well as a driving force behind the intent of nations to colonize. With these things in mind, the classic male European descent counselor must be aware of his cultural identity and how that same identity translates his world views, as well as how others of different cultures perceive him as a person when counseling. Within melting pots nations, such as the United States or Canada, many minority cultures can look upon counseling itself with suspicion as a Western custom created by white men.
Native Americans have unique ways of expressing grief. Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification
Grief and loss is also cultural and is expressed differently. This type of difference that inherently exists within different grieving cultures needs to be understood and respected within the grief counseling session itself. Kastenbaum points out that many from a different culture can misinterpret expressions of grief or rituals within another culture (2018, p.372). Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification, as well as its Grief Diversity Counseling Certification to learn more about responding better to other cultures during times of grief.
Basic Understandings When Helping Others
There is strong scientific documentation that minority cultures mistrust counseling services (Pedersen, 2016. p.14). Also from a human perspective and counseling perspective, when similarities become less and differences rise between groups one can see a correlated sharp rise in disinterest. Grief Counselors need to be aware of these realities and be able to utilize inclusive cultural empathy to increase awareness against false assumptions, increase knowledge to better comprehend and improves skill for proper calls to action (Pedersen, 2016, p.28).
Different Native American populations experience different levels of integration. Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Diversity Counseling Certification
While employing multiculturalism on grief counseling or any counseling is critical, it is still important to identify a few clear points when working with a group outside one’s cultural circle. Leong cautions against homogeneity to all clients from a particular group (Pedersen, 2016,. p. 44). This simply means, one should not assume certain individuals exist a stereotypes of their particular culture. If working with a culturally distinct client, the grief counselor or counselor should not assume the problem of this individual automatically correlates with the problem of the race or population itself. Different individuals will have different levels and ties to their cultural heritage, creed, race or forms of expression. It is important to realize different persons exist at different facets and are unique hence requiring individual focus, or in some cases universal focus. When counseling across culture, it is important to remember the dictum of Kluckhohn and Murray (1949) that “each person is like all other persons, like some other persons and like no other person (Pedersen, 2016. p.42)”.
This ideal of personhood is key. Many within populations have varying degrees of cultural awareness. Some are aware of microaggressions even against themselves, while others may be very naive to not only differences but also microaggressions. Many individuals within diverse populations exist at an integrated level where they maintain their culture of origin but adopt the culture of the majority. They exist at a dual level. Others my completely assimilate and function and exist within the majority culture. Still others may separate from the majority culture and exist primarily within their culture of origin, or oppositely exist within marginalization that adopts the majority culture (Pedersen, 2018. p. 103).
In any of these four cases, this presents a diverse reaction from ethnic individuals who may appear a certain way but may personally very different. In grief counseling, it is important to understand the individual and not hold that individual to a particular paradigm of how to grieve.
Multicultural Issues and Grief within Native Populations
Within Native American populations and other indigenous people worldwide, European contact has left extreme historical trauma due to centuries of war, massacres, exploitation, relocations, betrayals and disease (Pedersen, 2016, p. 103). This concept of past wrongs that leave a history of cultural trauma is referred to as soul wounds. These wounds shape the culture because the history of it not only shaped the present but also the community living in the present. Present conditions due to massive trauma to ancestors greatly affect present day living conditions and economic wealth due to past exploitation and theft from previous generations. Many tribes were stripped of identity when children were cruelly separated from their families and culturally indoctrinated into European culture. Hence, these type of soul wounds are essentially an intergenerational transmission of trauma from one generation to the next (Ivey, 2018.p. 33). Native Americans hence have a unique collective grief of past historical wrongs against their tribes at the hands of European aggression. These past wrongs has been transmitted into a strong and heavy mistrust of indigenous communities with Western forms of counseling (Pedersen, 2018, p.103).
Native American populations due to these wrongs look to reassert cultural identity and pursue more traditional forms of treatment as well ritual. Numerous cultural recovery programs exist within the country that looks to help these groups rediscover their culture (Pedersen, 2018, p. 105). This strive for identity has at times also put native populations at odds with European and conventional forms of counseling with suspicion.
Counselors must be multicultural proficient to understand the different ways native communities communicate
Grief counselors who work with native populations need to be self aware of their own ethnic background and how this is perceived by native populations. Pedersen notes that counselors cannot blindly pretend a cultural difference does not exist between a client and counselor, especially with native populations (2018, p. 105). In some cases, counselors can also sometimes question the efficacy of conventional methods of treatment for depression or other mental disorders when working with a mistrusting client. Of course, all persons are still persons and genuine empathy, warmth and respect are critical for any person much less one of a different culture (Pedersen, 2018, p. 106).
Many Native Americans are essentially spiritual in healing and those spiritual traditions are important to their identity. Hence counselors working in indigenous populations should work with healers within the community. Counselors should seek the advice of healers and when clients request it, form a care team that best meets the overall needs of the client. Presenting a ethnocentric therapeutic approach to a population with distrust can be disastrous and lead to no healing. Pederson recommends a healing combination of both Western and Native modalities that link the community and spiritual nature of native populations (2018, p. 110).
In addition, Pedersen points out that counselors need to become comfortable with ways natives express themselves, not only in grief but also in communication. Within Native American populations, clients are usually more comfortable with silence and long pauses and responses (2018, p. 107). If a counselor is ignorant of these types of responses or pauses, then the counselor may perceive it as a form of pathological grieving, or denial, or lack of intelligence. Grief counselors need to properly understand the social patterns of interaction within natives to better understand their grieving process. Obviously, grieving and ritual within these populations is also more communal in nature and the community plays a key role in helping others grieve. When natives are isolated or stripped from this population then it can negatively affect their ability to grieve in a healthy way.
In conclusion, Herring points out that counselors should discuss differences instead of pretending one does not exist between client and counselor, secondly, schedule appoints that are flexible and even open to family if requested, third, the allowance for natural trust to grow, fourth, the respect of silence and pause, fifth, a strong respect and honor for the client’s culture and application when necessary of it, and finally, the universal ideal of all counseling, confidentiality (Pedersen, 2018, p. 114).
Conclusion
Counseling across multicultural scopes is difficult. This is especially true when one is a counselor of European descent. With that ancestry carries a history of incidents, that through no fault of oneself. can lead to mistrust between client and counselor. It is important to be self aware of these differences and to be able to show empathy and respect cross cultural lines to the client if one truly hopes to help the client. This involves adaption and flexibility in how one approaches certain clients. This is especially true of Native Americans who have their own unique views on counseling and healing and how they express and communicate grief. It is also important to have a true understanding the of the nature of soul wounds that exist within the Native American population and how this not only affects grief but also present day economic and social life. While it is still critical to acknowledge this, a counselor still cannot assume each Native American is cultural. Every person is diverse and only through communication and genuineness can one truly understand the subjective nature of the individual.
Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a grief counseling certification. In addition to AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification, AIHCP also offers for Grief Certified Counselors a specialty program in Grief Diversity that covers in greater detail many multicultural aspects of grief and diverse populations.
References
Ivey, A. et, al (2018). “International Interviewing and Counseling” (9th). Cengage.
Kastenbaum, R & Moreman, C. (2018). “Death, Dying and Human Experience” (12th). Routledge
Pedersen, P. et. al. (2018). “Counseling Across Cultures” (7th). Cengage
Additional Resources
“Healing Trauma, Attending To Grief – Native Wellness Institute & Jillene Joseph” Click here
Lovering, C. (2022). “Mental Health in Native American and Indigenous Communities”. PsychCentral. Click here
Franco, M. (2020). “Culture Impacts How We Grieve”. Psychology Today. Click here
Stringer, H. (2022). “The healing power of Native American culture is inspiring psychologists to embrace cultural humility”. APA. Click here
A key part of counseling involves helping the client identify the problem, propose solutions and execute those plans into action with assessment of progress. This is the core of the Problem Management Model in counseling and is key in helping track a client’s progress.
Please also review AIHCP’s multiple behavioral health certifications ranging from Grief Counseling and Christian Counseling to Crisis, Stress, Life Coaching and Anger Management Programs. The programs are online and independent study and open to qualified professionals in both the behavioral health and health field areas.
In the area of grief and loss, anxiety, trauma, or in special needs, individuals are or can become more closed off from other human beings. Many are unable to express emotions properly, communicate with others, or feel independent to do things or interact with others. Individuals can become closed off to the world and unable to communicate with it. Counselors can utilize a variety of the therapies to help individuals cope better with emotions and also open back up with the world, but sometimes, especially in the case of those with mental defect, individuals need other ways to communicate and express emotion.
Animals and pets can help individuals suffering from anxiety and depression find healing. Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification
Animals and pets are an excellent source of love and way to heal. Animals can bring out the best in people and their presence can reduce stress and depression. Animals hence can play a key role in helping individuals who are grieving or dealing with anxiety.
Animal Therapy for Grief, Depression and Anxiety
Animal Therapy is broad spectrum approach to healing and helping those with autism express themselves, but also those who have experienced trauma, or even those who have anxiety or depression issues. Animals help individuals in a broad variety of ways to rediscover self, heal and move forward. While those who face life long mental issues can gradually improve through animal therapy, those with trauma or temporary issues can also benefit greatly with the company of an animal.
Animal Therapy has a long history, back to even Sigmund Freud, and with the advances of the its modern father, Boris Levinson. The idea of the comforting nature of an animal or pet and his/her presence has a calming effect on human beings. The company of animals can increase serotonin and dopamine, as well as lower cortisol levels by awakening the para sympathetic system. The presence releases tension and allows the person to find healing.
There is no limit to the types of animals that can be utilized. Horses, dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets and other small mammals, birds, fish and even lizards can all be utilized. Different species have different end goals that can help individuals with particular needs. Dogs play a key role providing comfort and unconditional love, while cats help with individuals who are more awkward with initial touch and need. Horses and equine therapy play a large role in animal therapy and are provided at various locations for those who need to form better connections, trust, and responsibility. Even birds or fish can play a role in helping individuals find connection but also responsibility.
Benefits of Animal Therapy
Animal Therapy helps those with a wide variety of mental issues, but also those dealing with stress, anxiety, loss and depression. Physically, animal therapy, reduces stress and lowers blood pressure and increases dopamine and serotonin. It reduces cortisol and helps the person find comfort and calm. Emotionally, animal therapy, helps individuals find love and support. The unconditional love an animal can supply, or the fact, the animal needs the person, can help the individual feel love when sometimes love is absent in the person’s world.
Psychologically, animals help individual feel love and from that love individuals can find stronger self esteem to feel loved but also to express love to a fellow creature. The need and dependency of the animal upon the person helps build the person’s purpose. In addition, this purpose gives the person duty and responsibility. During therapy, the person is called to care for the animal, supply food and water, or provide basic care such as grooming or walking. Even the smallest duty of having to feed a fish and supplying a need to another creature can have huge therapeutic effects on the person. This sense of purpose also increases self esteem especially with the depressed.
Animals can help the bereaved form new bonds, feel loved and find purpose again
In addition, training and teaching an animal helps individuals improve communication skills, social interaction, and independence to push forward in an endeavor or task. Individuals plagued with depression or other psychological maladies may be less receptive to enter the social arena of human interaction, but through animals, they can find it easier to communicate, wake up and do tasks, and exercise. This also increases one’s sense of trust between another being. Horse riding, or walking form bonds of trust which may be difficult with another person. This trust permits the person to feel more safe in social settings and to put oneself into the hands of another while also giving purpose to care for the other. Individuals experiencing loss may need to form new bonds and the bonds of love and trust and the social skills that are re-introduced through animals can be physically, emotionally and mentally rewarding.
Overall, animal therapy helps form new bonds, increases social interaction, improves communication skills, teaches trust and responsibility and reduces the physical manifestations of stress and anxiety. It gives the person purpose and responsibility again and helps the person re-enter the social world of other human beings or at least better skills to reintegrate oneself into society after trauma or loss, or if dealing with a mental issue. Animal Therapy can help with emotional release, talk therapy, and relief of various negative symptoms.
Obviously animal therapy is not for everyone. Some individuals may have issues that may endanger the animal, or others may be allergic to certain animals. Like all therapies, it depends upon the person but overall animal therapy is a very successful therapy when applied. One can find animal therapy through the referral of a therapist. Many are offered through campuses, hospitals and special programs at rehab centers or correctional facilities.
Conclusion
Animal Therapy can be supplemental with other therapies or a sole therapy. Ultimately, those with deeper issues such as Autism or permanent conditions can benefit greatly from animal therapy. Animals have the ability to help individuals form new bonds, express feelings and explore new skills necessary in social settings. Animals have the ability to bring out physical and emotional wellness by reducing stress and anxiety. Those who experience grief and loss can also form new bonds and find new purpose through animal care and the reciprocity of love that is shared between a person and animal. While animal therapy may not be the answer for everyone, it is highly successful for those suffering from various mental ailments and temporary issues with anxiety or depression.
Horses can play a large role in animal therapy. Please also review AIHCP’s Grief and Stress Management programs
Please also review AIHCP’s mental and behavioral health certifications, as well as in particular, it’s Grief Counseling Certification as well as its Stress Management Certification. The programs are online and independent study with mentorship as needed and is open to qualified professionals in the Healthcare, Human Service and Ministry fields. Please review and see if the programs meet your academic and professional goals.
Additional Resources
Baer, B. (2024). “Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) and emotional support animals”. Therapist.com. Access here
Jelinek, J. (2022). “All About Animal-Assisted Therapy”. PsychCentral. Access here
“Emotional Support/Therapy Animals”. (2017). Good Therapy. Access here
Olivine, A. (2024). “What Is Animal Therapy?” Very Well Health. Access here
“Animal-Assisted Therapy” (2022). Psychology Today Staff. Psychology Today. Access here
This video discusses confronting and challenging clients to transform and find change. Counselors many times have to help push clients see the truth when the client’s own view is distorted. This involves careful and empathetic ways of challenging and confronting. Empathetic confrontation is a key concept within this video. Sometimes to help transformation, clients need have their view and story challenged or emotions confronted.
Please also review AIHCP’s mental health certifications, including Grief Counseling. The certification programs are online and independent study with mentorship as needed. The programs are designed for pastoral as well as clinical counselors in behavioral health, human service and ministry. Please review and see if the programs meet your academic and professional goals
Good response skills are critical to help clients receive feed back. Good responses can help the client move forward in the conversation, hear his/her own words, supply additional insight and help give direction. Responding skills are essential micro skills in counseling and Grief Counselors should be able to utilize good responding skills to help clients better find meaning and emotional validation.
Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification and see if it meets your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in Grief Counseling.
In addition to Grief Counseling, AIHCP offers a variety of other mental and behavioral health certifications for human service and health care professionals. The programs include Christian Counseling, Spiritual Counseling, Stress Management, Anger Management, Crisis Intervention and Life Coaching. These programs are aimed to help others in existing counseling fields. Be aware to differentiate one’s role as a counselor when only pastoral versus one who is licensed. This is key when applying these certifications to your various levels of academic and professional levels.
Counselors study psychology, various therapies and devote themselves to understanding the science of the mind and behavior, but if the counselor is unable to communicate and attend the client properly, then the knowledge is useless. Counseling hence is also an art. Counselors must possess interpersonal skills that allow them to help their clients. Various micro skills help the counselor attend the client. Basic fundamentals of attending include empathetic listening, observation skills, and appropriate responses. This forms the foundation of the counselor and client relationship and allows therapy to flourish.
Please also review AIHCP’s numerous behavioral health and healthcare certifications in Grief Counseling, Crisis Counseling, Christian Counseling, Spiritual Counseling, Anger Management, Life Coaching and Stress Management. The programs are online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification.
Grief while natural can go many different directions and become in some cases pathological. There are many unique singularities that can make one loss different than another and transverse normal and healthy trajectories into abnormal and pathological trajectories. Grief Counselors can play a key role in guiding clients and helping identify possible clues that can lead to complications in grief. While pastoral counselors who are grief certified can help those along normal trajectories, only licensed and clinical counselors can help those with complications.
Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification and see if it matches your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in grief counseling. AIHCP certifies both clinical as well as pastoral professionals within the Human Service professions. as well as others within the healthcare fields.
Licensed counselors, Human Service professionals, and other specialized behavioral health therapists can help the bereaved through advanced therapies. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT is one such example, but there are other humanistic approaches that are also patient centered in design. Gestalt Therapy is one such humanistic approach that avoids psycho-analysis and looks to the present state of the person. It looks for the fullness and wholeness of the entirety of the person and issue instead of reviewing merely smaller parts. Designed by Fritz Perls. his wife, Laura Perls and John Goodman in the early 1940s, this approach helps individuals face and cope with emotion in the present moment (Good Therapy, 2018, p.1).
In regards to the bereaved, Gestalt can be an excellent way to help the grieving come more into contact with the emotions they are feeling in the present moment. It can help the depressed focus on the emotions of the now moment and help them find resolution and self-awareness about these feelings. This can usher forward a inner healing for some and help one find resolution with the present moment. The important theme of Gestalt Therapy is that it focuses on the now and how one is feeling in the moment not how one felt in the past or the issues of the past.
Gestalt Therapy
Gestalt focuses on the current emotional state of the client and emphasizes discussion of those emotions
Gestalt Therapy focuses on the now. This is one of its defining qualities. The counselor or therapist will help the client focus on what the client is experiencing in the moment and how to address those emotions in the now moment. This now moment involves a mind and body connection and an awareness within the body of these feelings (Lindsey, 2022). A strong counselor-client connection is important for the client to feel comfortable enough to identify these emotions and discuss them. Furthermore, the Gestalt has a strong phenomenological emphasis on experiencing the process of emotion itself and exploring and evaluating it within the session. This brings one closer to true feeling. Within Gestalt, one is not so much looking for change, but acceptance and understanding of self to better cope and push forward in a productive and non-maladaptive way.
Fritz Perls wished for clients to find more self-awareness of oneself. He hoped one to become more attune with one’s feelings and to better cope with them by identifying and feeling them (Guy-Evans, 2022). Gestalt pushes for the here and now of the moment. It emphasizes that the past cannot change, but the present exists now and can produce transformation. Hence, even past emotions are encouraged to be expressed in the present moment (Guy-Evans, 2023). By understanding the emotion now, one can conclude the unfinished business of the past.
Gestalt Techniques
Gestalt Therapists will utilize a variety of techniques to help the client experience present emotion. Many counselors encourage clients to utilize “I” statements. When discussing an emotion such as anger, instead of stating “they made me angry”, the counselor encourages the client to say “I feel angry when”. This again emphasizes the importance of individual emotion within the moment (Langmaid, 2024).
In addition to this, Gestalt therapists will identify various bodily manifestations correlated with emotion. A person may clench a fist, look downward, raise one’s voice, tap their foot against the ground, twitch, or frown. When these physical manifestations appear, the counselor will help the client identify these manifestations with the emotion felt. Counselors should encourage the client to exaggerate these manifestations during the session. This process in Gestalt is referred to as exaggeration (Good Therapy, 2018, p. 1). This will help clients become more aware of their emotions and how to better regulate them in the future.
The empty chair is perhaps the most famous Gestalt technique. It involves an empty chair where the client is able to speak to the person who is the source of the client’s frustration, abuse, or source of emotion. It could represent an abuser, ex spouse, deceased family member, or even be a conversation between the self (Guy-Evans, 2023). This permits the client to express present emotion but also allows the client to better understand that the power to heal does not depend upon another person but the power is within oneself.
Empathetic confrontation is sometimes a technique employed by therapists as well within Gestalt. This was more widely common in its earlier phases, but in recent times is not as employed. The purpose was to confront the false emotion or shield and help the true emotion to emerge.
Goals and Benefits of Gestalt Therapy
The primary goal of Gestalt is to help clients become more self aware of present emotion and how that emotion is affecting one’s life. It helps to push one to become more self aware and regulating of emotion and to find resolution by accepting the emotional reality that exists. This promotes responsibility on the part of the client to accept certain emotions and work through them.
Guy Evans lists these benefits from Gestalt
Improved sense of self-control
Increased awareness of needs
Improved ability to monitor and regulate emotions
Improved communication skills
Increased tolerance for negative emotions
Improved mindfulness
Increased emotional understanding
Improved ability to view things from another perspective
Increased self-esteem
Increased decision-making skills
Increased interpersonal skills
Increased empathy for others
(Guy-Evans, O. (2023). “Gestalt Therapy: Definition, Types, Techniques, And Efficacy”. Access here
Conclusion
Gestalt is another tool for the counselor. It does not necessarily work for everyone. It may need to be utilized with other therapies. In some cases, clients who wish for more structure, or wish to focus on the past, may find it unhelpful. While others who are still too traumatized by emotion, may find it disturbing. It can definitely bring up strong emotions, so it should only be utilized in a secure setting with a strong client/counselor relationship. Obviously, those who are only pastoral or only certified in grief counseling but lack a professional and clinical license in counseling should not utilize this therapy.
Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification and if it matches your academic and professional goals
For many though, it can help individuals find peace with the present moment and express emotion in a healthy and safe way. It can help a person transform and move beyond past negative emotions and find new resolutions in life to move beyond the pain. In grief, this is especially true. It can provide for the bereaved an outlet to express current emotion and also sort through feelings and emotions with the deceased.
Please also review the American Academy of Grief Counseling’s Grief Counseling Certification and see if it meets your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification as a grief counselor.
Additional Resources
“Gestalt Therapy”. (2018). Good Therapy. Access here
Langmaid, S. (2024). “How Does Gestalt Therapy Work?” WebMD. Access here
Guy-Evans, O. (2023). “Gestalt Therapy: Definition, Types, Techniques, And Efficacy”. Simple Psychology. Access here
Lindsay, C. (2022). “All About Gestalt Therapy”. PsychCentral. Access here
When dealing with grief, individuals deal with the immediate emotions of the loss itself but at the same time, the pain of dealing with secondary losses. Unfortunately, life does not stop while grieving, so the dual process model addresses how a person faces both fronts of loss while grieving. One must face how one is dealing with one’s own pain as well as dealing with life itself.
Grief Counselors many times utilize the Dual Process Model to help others face grief and loss
The video below deals with the Dual Process Model and how grief counselors utilize it. Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification and see if it meets your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals.
