Grief Counselor

Next Thursday I will be meeting with a real-life grief counselor whom I contacted this afternoon. I already like her and I haven’t even met her, yet. She, too, is widowed so not only does she understand grief, but she understands my grief. I am looking forward to our visit. She also waited a long while before she sought help. We seem similar.

Her fee is miniscule considering what many mental health professionals in private practice charge. I commented on it and she replied that although she is a full-fledged licensed social worker, qualified to counsel in many fields, she deals only in grief and has for many years. Her fee is low because she cares about people and wants to help. Maybe I can be like that, too, someday when I’m beyond my own grief.

Clay and I will be wrapping things up by the end of the year. He has been very helpful to me for many reasons, the least of which is my grief. I leveled with him in telling him that I chose a male social worker deliberately because I needed male attention. He’s sweet, soft spoken, comforting and very helpful. He has grieved loss before, but I’m looking forward to moving to the next step in dealing with my loss. Talking with somebody who has actually been there will be priceless for me. I feel sad thinking about putting my sessions with Clay behind me. I probably won't see him again after the end of the year.

I’m trying to develop a game-plan to help put this behind me, even though I just got a huge pang of guilt for saying that. But that’s what the grief-counseler is for.

I hope she can help me. I need to be helped.