Navigating Grief and Loss: When to Seek Professional Help
By Bright Setorglo, PMHNP-BC · July 05, 2026
Navigating Grief and Loss: When to Seek Professional Help
Grief is a universal human experience. The death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, job loss, or diagnosis of a serious illness all trigger grief responses. However, not all grief follows the expected trajectory of gradual improvement. When grief becomes complicated or prolonged, professional intervention may be necessary.
Normal Grief vs. Complicated Grief
Normal acute grief involves intense sadness, yearning, preoccupation with the deceased, and difficulty engaging in daily activities. These symptoms gradually diminish over 6-12 months. Complicated Grief Disorder (now recognized in DSM-5-TR as Prolonged Grief Disorder) involves persistent, intense grief beyond 12 months with severe functional impairment.
Symptoms of complicated grief include: persistent longing or yearning for the deceased, intense emotional pain, preoccupation with the deceased to the exclusion of other activities, identity disruption (feeling that part of oneself has died), difficulty accepting the loss, and inability to trust others or engage in new relationships.
Depression After Loss: A Separate Concern
Major depressive disorder can develop after bereavement. Unlike grief, which typically preserves self-esteem and fluctuates in intensity, depression involves persistent anhedonia, worthlessness, and suicidal ideation. The "bereavement exclusion" was removed from DSM-5, recognizing that depression after loss is clinically significant and requires treatment.
Evidence-Based Grief Interventions
Complicated Grief Therapy (CGT) is a 16-session structured treatment that addresses loss, restoration, and personal goals. It combines exposure-based techniques with behavioral activation and has demonstrated efficacy in randomized controlled trials.
Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) addresses grief as one of four interpersonal problem areas. The grief-focused approach helps patients reconstruct their relationship with the deceased and develop new social connections.
Support groups provide normalization, peer support, and practical coping strategies. For some patients, group therapy reduces isolation more effectively than individual treatment.
If you or someone you know is struggling with grief that isn't improving over time, professional evaluation is appropriate. PathToHope provides compassionate telepsychiatry care across Oregon, Texas, and Florida.
About the Author: Bright Setorglo, PMHNP-BC, is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and the founder of PathToHope Wellness and Behavioral Health Wellness & Behavioral Health. He provides comprehensive telepsychiatry services across Oregon, Texas, and Florida.
Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency, call 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or 911 immediately.