Complicated Bereavement Treatment in San Diego

Complicated bereavement, also called complicated grief, is a nuanced illness that needs care that is expert, specialized and compassionate.

Solara Mental Health provides that care with our calming environment and our experienced, caring staff. At our psychiatric facility, we create a personalized combination of individual psychotherapy, group therapy and holistic therapies.  Veterans explore their grief in a safe, nurturing environment and develop the skills needed to accept their loss and find mental and emotional healing.

Losing a loved one is a profoundly painful, heartbreaking experience. Although mourning is often a difficult, time-consuming process, complicated bereavement disrupts this process, keeping those struggling with it from overcoming the pain of their loss and functioning normally in everyday life.  Instead, individuals suffering from complicated bereavement find themselves stuck in mourning.  The pain of their loss seems ever-present and never fading. These feelings can be extremely isolating and debilitating, inhibiting normal social and occupational functioning.

There is a wide variety of symptoms of complicated bereavement, including the following:

• All-consuming grief
• Inability to accept the loss
• Avoidance of things related to/reminiscent of the loss
• Frequent/constant thoughts about the loved one who has passed, coupled with a powerful longing to be with them again
• Feelings of anger, guilt, or bitterness
• Isolation, loneliness, detachment, numbness
• Inability to trust or connect with others
• Insomnia or other sleep disruption
• Anxiety
• Physical symptoms, such as extreme fatigue, weight changes, nausea, and muscle pain

Complicated grief can cause stress and difficulties with daily functioning. Complicated grief can also lead to suicidal ideation, symptoms of depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. With treatment, complicated bereavement symptoms can be reduced and recovery can be found.

Treatments for complicated grief can include:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) — learning about the grief process, challenging negative thoughts, and practicing healthy coping skills. CBT can also help with providing a narrative to better process the loss without blame or anger
• Interpersonal Therapy — therapists begin by focusing on grief and have a secondary focus on interpersonal problems
• Support groups — providing an environment to relate with peers who are having similar struggles
• Motivational Interviewing — helping with realizing capabilities of changing and how to go about changing

Complicated bereavement, otherwise known as complicated grief, can be a challenge for active military and veterans. Especially for combat veterans, there is an added risk because the death of fellow servicemembers can be a part of a deployment. Solara Mental Health is VA contracted as a community care provider to give mental health services to veterans in need and help with complicated bereavement.

Solara Mental Health in San Diego provides peaceful facilities where veterans can learn how to accept and heal from their loss. Working with clinicians and peers, veterans will break free of their isolation and realize they are not alone in their struggles. Our structured Grief & Loss therapy group is especially vital to healing from complicated bereavement.

In this structured space, veterans come together as peers to address their feelings, build a support network, and practice techniques for returning to everyday functioning. Through this program, veterans come to accept their loss and cope with the pain it has caused them, finally allowing them to heal and live a full life.

While our veterans make considerable and rapid improvements, complicated bereavement is often a long-term condition. Through years of experience, our mental health treatment center has learned how to provide our veterans with the entire spectrum of care.  From inpatient to outpatient, from transitional living to a long-term aftercare plan, our program has been designed to free our veterans from the clutches of complicated bereavement.