Support Through Loss, Grief, and Life’s Changes
Compassionate grief counseling for children, teens, and adults in Ogden, Logan, and Pleasant Grove. Find a supportive space to process difficult emotions, cope with loss, and adjust to life after a significant change.
Grief Counseling in Ogden, Logan & Pleasant Grove
Grief is a natural response to loss, but that does not mean it is easy to manage.
The death of someone important can affect emotions, relationships, sleep, concentration, school, work and everyday life. Other major losses and transitions can also create grief, sadness and uncertainty.
Quality Youth Services provides grief counseling for children, teenagers and adults in Ogden, Logan and Pleasant Grove. Our Harrisville office serves the greater Ogden area, with additional QYS locations in Logan and Pleasant Grove.
Counseling can provide a supportive place to process loss, understand difficult emotions and develop healthier ways of coping while adjusting to life after a significant change.
What Is Grief?
Grief is the emotional response that can follow loss.
People often associate grief with the death of someone they love, but grief can also occur after other significant changes.
Someone may grieve:
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The death of a parent
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The death of a spouse
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The death of a child
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The death of a sibling
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The death of a friend
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The loss of another important relationship
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Divorce or separation
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A major life transition
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Loss of health or independence
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Changes in family circumstances
There is no single correct way to grieve.
Is Grief a Mental Health Disorder?
No.
Grief itself is not automatically a mental health disorder.
Sadness, crying, anger, confusion, loneliness and changes in sleep or appetite may all occur after a major loss.
However, grief can sometimes become complicated by:
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Depression
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Anxiety
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Trauma
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Severe functional difficulties
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Self-harm
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Suicidal thoughts
Professional counseling may be appropriate when grief feels overwhelming or significantly interferes with everyday life.
Common Grief Reactions
Grief can affect people emotionally, physically and mentally.
Possible reactions include:
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Sadness
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Crying
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Loneliness
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Anger
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Guilt
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Numbness
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Shock
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Confusion
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Anxiety
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Difficulty concentrating
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Sleep problems
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Changes in appetite
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Withdrawal
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Low motivation
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Fatigue
Some people feel intense emotions immediately.
Others initially feel numb and experience stronger grief later.
Is There a Normal Timeline for Grief?
No.
There is no universal timeline for grieving.
Some people begin adjusting relatively quickly.
Others continue experiencing strong emotions for a long time.
Grief may also change over time rather than simply disappearing.
Birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and other reminders can cause strong feelings to return even after someone has been functioning well.
The goal of counseling is not to force grief to end on a schedule.
Grief in Children
Children may understand death differently depending on their age and developmental level.
A grieving child may:
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Ask repeated questions
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Become more fearful
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Have trouble sleeping
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Become clingy
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Have emotional outbursts
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Withdraw
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Struggle in school
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Return to earlier behaviors
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Complain of stomachaches or headaches
Children may move between grief and normal play very quickly.
They may appear happy one moment and deeply upset later.
This does not mean they are not grieving.
Child Therapy can provide age-appropriate emotional support following a significant loss.
Grief in Teenagers
Teenagers may experience grief intensely while also trying to maintain school, friendships and independence.
Signs may include:
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Withdrawal
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Anger
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Irritability
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Depression
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Anxiety
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Difficulty concentrating
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Falling grades
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Sleep problems
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Avoiding family
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Risk-taking behavior
Some teens do not want to talk with parents because they worry about upsetting them further.
Others may feel that adults do not understand what they are experiencing.
Teen Therapy can provide a private and supportive setting to work through difficult emotions.
Grief in Adults
Adults may need to grieve while continuing to manage:
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Work
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Parenting
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Finances
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Family responsibilities
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Household needs
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Relationships
This can make the grieving process particularly difficult.
An adult may feel pressure to “stay strong” for everyone else while neglecting their own emotional needs.
Adult Therapy can provide support during bereavement and other significant losses.
Grief After the Death of a Parent
Losing a parent can affect people at almost any age.
Children may lose a major source of security and caregiving.
Adults may lose someone who has been part of their entire life.
Emotions may include:
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Sadness
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Anger
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Fear
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Guilt
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Relief after a long illness
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Loneliness
People may also experience conflicting emotions, which can be confusing.
There is no requirement to feel only one way.
Grief After the Death of a Spouse or Partner
The loss of a spouse or partner can affect almost every part of everyday life.
The person may lose:
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Emotional companionship
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Daily routines
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Shared responsibilities
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Financial support
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Future plans
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Social connections
Grieving may involve both emotional pain and practical adjustments to a very different life.
Grief After the Death of a Child
The death of a child can be profoundly difficult for parents and other family members.
Different family members may grieve in very different ways.
One person may want to talk frequently.
Another may become quiet.
One may cry openly.
Another may focus on work or practical tasks.
Different grief styles do not necessarily mean someone is grieving more or less.
Family counseling may help when grief is creating emotional distance or conflict.
Grief After Suicide
A death by suicide can create particularly complicated emotions for surviving family members and friends.
People may experience:
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Shock
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Guilt
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Anger
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Confusion
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Shame
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Repeated unanswered questions
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Trauma-related symptoms
Counseling may provide a private setting to process these difficult emotions.
If someone grieving a suicide begins experiencing suicidal thoughts themselves, those symptoms should be taken seriously.
Grief After an Unexpected or Traumatic Death
Sudden deaths may create both grief and trauma-related symptoms.
Examples can include deaths involving:
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Accidents
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Violence
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Suicide
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Unexpected medical events
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Other traumatic circumstances
The person may experience:
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Intrusive memories
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Fear
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Nightmares
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Avoidance
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Hypervigilance
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Anxiety
Our Trauma & PTSD services may also be relevant when traumatic stress symptoms are present.
Grief and Depression
Grief and Depression can share some symptoms.
Both may involve:
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Sadness
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Sleep changes
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Low energy
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Withdrawal
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Difficulty concentrating
However, grief is not automatically depression.
A mental health professional can help evaluate symptoms when someone is experiencing persistent or severe emotional difficulties.
Grief and Anxiety
Loss can also create Anxiety.
A person may begin worrying about:
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Losing someone else
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Their own health
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Being alone
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The future
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Financial security
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Family stability
Children who lose someone close may become particularly concerned that something will happen to another parent or caregiver.
Grief and Anger
Anger is a common grief reaction.
Someone may feel angry:
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About what happened
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At doctors
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At family members
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At the person who died
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At themselves
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At circumstances that seem unfair
Feeling anger while grieving does not make someone a bad person.
Therapy can provide a place to explore these emotions without judgment.
Grief and Guilt
People often replay events after a death.
They may think:
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“I should have called more.”
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“I should have noticed something.”
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“I should have done more.”
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“Why didn’t I say goodbye?”
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“Why am I still alive?”
Counseling can help someone examine these thoughts and process complicated emotions surrounding the loss.
Grief and Family Conflict
Family members do not always grieve the same way.
One person may want to talk about the loss frequently.
Another may avoid the subject.
Different coping styles can lead to misunderstanding.
Loss may also create disagreements about:
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Funerals
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Finances
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Possessions
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Parenting
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Family responsibilities
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Living arrangements
When grief begins contributing to Family Conflict, family counseling may help improve communication.
Grief Following Divorce or Separation
People can also experience grief when a relationship ends.
Divorce or separation may involve the loss of:
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A partner
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Daily routines
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Shared friendships
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A home
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Financial stability
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Future plans
Children may also grieve changes in their family structure.
Counseling can provide support while individuals and families adjust.
Grief and Major Life Changes
Grief is sometimes connected to major changes that do not involve death.
People may experience a sense of loss after:
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Serious illness
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Disability
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Moving
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Retirement
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Loss of employment
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Children leaving home
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Major family transitions
Recognizing the experience as a form of loss can help someone understand why the emotions feel so significant.
Does Grief Counseling Mean Forgetting the Person Who Died?
No.
Healthy grieving does not require someone to forget the person who died or “move on” as though the relationship never mattered.
Many people eventually learn to carry the memory of the person while rebuilding routines, relationships and meaning in their lives.
Grief Counseling in Ogden — Harrisville Location
Our Harrisville office is just minutes from Ogden and serves children, teenagers, adults and families throughout the greater Ogden and Weber County area.
Individuals searching for grief counseling in Ogden, a grief therapist near Ogden or bereavement counseling can contact our nearby Harrisville office for current therapist availability.
Grief Counseling in Logan
Our Logan location provides grief counseling for children, teens and adults throughout Logan and surrounding Cache Valley communities.
Contact Quality Youth Services for current provider and appointment availability.
Grief Counseling in Pleasant Grove
Our Pleasant Grove location provides counseling for grief, bereavement and significant life changes in Pleasant Grove and surrounding Utah County communities.
Contact QYS for current provider and appointment availability.
Take the Next Step
Grief does not follow a schedule, and people do not have to go through significant loss alone.
Counseling can provide a supportive place to process difficult emotions, understand grief reactions and develop healthier ways of adjusting to major changes.
Looking for grief counseling in Ogden, Logan or Pleasant Grove? Contact Quality Youth Services to request an appointment today.