Find a Mental Health Professional for Prolonged & Complicated Grief

About Prolonged & Complicated Grief support

Most people experience an easing of acute grief over time, but for some, grief remains intensely painful and pervasive long after a loss, in a way that significantly interferes with daily life. This is sometimes called prolonged grief disorder or complicated grief. It can involve persistent longing for the person who has died, difficulty accepting the loss, bitterness, difficulty engaging with life, or a sense that life is now meaningless without the person who is gone. Prolonged grief is different from depression, though the two can co-occur, and it responds to specific therapeutic approaches. Complicated Grief Treatment (CGT) and adaptations of CBT designed for prolonged grief have good research support. These approaches help people process the loss, gently revisit memories, and reconnect with a meaningful life, without requiring them to "let go" of the person they loved. In Australia, practitioners who specialise in grief and bereavement are available across private and community settings. The Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement offers specialist assessment and therapy. Medicare rebates are available through a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan, and GriefLine provides telephone and online support for those not yet ready for face-to-face therapy.