Grief Counselling Melbourne
Grief is one of the most universal and one of the most isolating human experiences. Whether you are mourning the death of someone you love, the end of a relationship, a diagnosis, or a life you had imagined — grief deserves to be witnessed, not fixed.
At The Talk Shop, our Melbourne psychologists offer compassionate, evidence-based grief counselling across four clinic locations and via Telehealth — at a pace and in a way that respects your experience.
WorkCover, NDIS or TAC approved? YOU PAY NOTHING.
If your claim has been approved, we bill your funder directly. Zero out-of-pocket cost — no gap, no upfront payment, nothing.
What Is Grief?
Grief is the natural response to loss — a profound emotional, physical, and cognitive process that follows the loss of something or someone significant. While grief is most commonly associated with bereavement, it can arise from many types of loss, including:
- Death of a loved one — including sudden, traumatic, or anticipated death
- Perinatal loss — miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death
- Relationship breakdown — divorce, separation, or estrangement
- Diagnosis of a serious illness — in yourself or someone you love
- Loss of identity, role, or purpose — retirement, redundancy, or major life transition
- Loss of a pet
- Loss of what could have been — unfulfilled hopes, missed milestones, or a life imagined differently
There is no hierarchy of grief. Whatever you have lost, if it mattered to you, your grief is valid and deserving of support.
How Grief Can Affect You
Grief is not just emotional — it affects every dimension of a person. Common experiences include:
Emotional:
- Profound sadness, emptiness, or yearning
- Anger — at the person who died, at yourself, at the situation, or at the world
- Guilt or regret — things said or unsaid, done or undone
- Anxiety about the future, your own mortality, or further loss
- Numbness or emotional detachment — feeling nothing at all
- Relief (particularly after prolonged illness) — which can itself trigger guilt
Physical:
- Exhaustion and fatigue — grief is genuinely physically depleting
- Changes in appetite — eating too much or too little
- Sleep disruption — insomnia, disturbing dreams, or sleeping excessively
- Physical aching or a felt sense of heaviness in the chest
- Increased vulnerability to illness
Cognitive and behavioural:
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
- Preoccupation with the person or thing lost
- Social withdrawal — pulling away from others
- Loss of interest in activities that previously brought pleasure
- Questioning meaning, purpose, or faith
These experiences are normal responses to loss. They do not indicate weakness — and most people move through them, with or without support. But when grief is prolonged, overwhelming, or interfering significantly with daily life, professional support can make a meaningful difference.
You Are Not Alone
Around 160,000 Australians are bereaved each year. An estimated 10–15% of bereaved people develop Prolonged Grief Disorder — a clinical condition requiring professional support.
Shear et al., 2011; Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2022
Grief is a normal part of being human — but our culture often does it poorly. People are frequently told to “stay strong,” “move on,” or given unrealistic timelines for recovery. This can leave grieving people feeling isolated, judged, or ashamed of the depth of what they are feeling.
There is no right way to grieve, and no correct timeline. Grief does not follow a predictable sequence of stages — it is non-linear, highly individual, and can resurface at unexpected times. What matters is not how you grieve, but whether you have adequate support.
When Grief Becomes Prolonged or Complicated
For most people, the acute intensity of grief softens over time as they gradually adapt to their loss. But for some, grief does not follow this path — instead remaining as raw, intense, and incapacitating months or years after the loss. This is known as Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD), which was formally recognised in the DSM-5-TR in 2022.
Signs that grief may have become prolonged or complicated include:
- Intense yearning or longing for the person lost that has not diminished over time
- Difficulty accepting the reality of the loss
- Feeling that life is meaningless or that you cannot function without the person
- Bitterness, anger, or guilt that remains overwhelming
- Inability to trust others or engage in relationships since the loss
- Feeling that a part of yourself has died
- Difficulty imagining a meaningful future
Prolonged Grief Disorder is a recognised clinical condition with effective treatments — not a sign of weakness or failure to grieve “correctly.” If any of these resonate, speaking with a psychologist is a worthwhile step.
Evidence-Based Grief Counselling Approaches
Grief counselling is not about “getting over” your loss — it is about integrating it into your life in a way that allows you to carry it with you, rather than being stopped by it. Approaches may include:
Grief-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Addresses the unhelpful thought patterns and avoidance behaviours that can maintain complicated grief. Evidence-based for Prolonged Grief Disorder and depression following loss, with demonstrated reductions in grief severity and functional impairment.
Acceptance-Based Approaches (ACT)
Supports you in opening up to the pain of grief without being overwhelmed by it, while reconnecting with what gives your life meaning. Particularly helpful for existential dimensions of grief — questions of meaning, identity, and purpose.
Narrative Therapy
Explores the story of your relationship with the person or thing lost — honouring the significance of the loss, reclaiming positive memories, and re-authoring a sense of who you are in the aftermath.
Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)
Particularly effective for grief-related depression, focusing on the disruption to social roles and relationships caused by the loss, and building a path toward meaningful reconnection.
Your psychologist will tailor the approach to your experience, your cultural and personal context, and what feels right for you — there is no one-size-fits-all model for grief support.
What Grief Counselling Looks Like at The Talk Shop
Your first appointment is a 50-minute session — a chance to share what you have been going through and what kind of support would be most helpful. There is no agenda, no rush, and no pressure to have the “right” feelings.
The duration of grief counselling varies enormously depending on the nature of the loss and what you are working through. Some clients find significant benefit in a short course of 6–10 sessions; others prefer longer-term support as they navigate a major life transition. Your psychologist will work at your pace.
We offer appointments in-clinic at our Mooroolbark, Wheelers Hill, Reservoir, and Melbourne CBD locations, as well as Telehealth sessions from anywhere in Australia.
Funding Options — What Will You Pay?
WorkCover, NDIS or TAC approved? YOU PAY NOTHING.
If your claim has been approved, we bill your funder directly. Zero out-of-pocket cost — no gap, no upfront payment, nothing.
- WorkCover approved — $0 out of pocket, we bill directly
- NDIS plan-managed or self-managed — $0 out of pocket, we bill directly
- TAC claim approved — $0 out of pocket, we bill directly
- Medicare rebate (Mental Health Care Plan) — get medicare rebates same-day or next day
- Private Health Insurance — we provide an itemised invoice to help claim your extras benefit
- No funding / self-pay — affordable rates from $50 per session, no GP referral needed
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I need grief counselling?
If your grief is interfering significantly with daily life, relationships, or work — or if it has remained overwhelming for an extended period — speaking with a psychologist is worth considering. You do not need to be in crisis. Many people find grief counselling helpful simply as a space to process their loss without feeling like a burden to those around them.
Is there a right way to grieve?
No. Grief is highly individual — shaped by the relationship you had, your personality, your cultural background, and many other factors. The idea that grief follows fixed stages (like the Kübler-Ross model) has been largely superseded in contemporary grief research. What matters is not how you grieve, but whether you have adequate support.
How long will grief last?
There is no predictable timeline. Grief changes over time — its intensity typically shifts, and most people find they are able to reengage with life — but grief does not simply disappear. The goal of grief counselling is not to eliminate grief, but to support you in carrying it in a way that does not prevent you from living.
Does Medicare cover grief counselling?
Yes. With a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP, Medicare rebates apply to up to 10 individual psychology sessions per calendar year, processed same-day or next day. A GP referral is not required to make a booking — only to access the Medicare rebate.
What is the difference between grief and depression?
Grief and depression share many features — sadness, withdrawal, changes in sleep and appetite — and can coexist. Grief typically involves painful longing for what was lost and tends to come in waves, often triggered by reminders. Depression involves a more persistent, global low mood and loss of interest across all areas of life. A psychologist can help clarify what is happening and tailor support accordingly.
Can grief counselling help with a loss that happened years ago?
Yes. Grief does not have an expiry date, and neither does grief counselling. Whether your loss was recent or occurred years ago, psychological support can help you process what has been left unresolved.
You Don’t Have to Grieve Alone. Talk to a Melbourne Psychologist Today.
Whatever you have lost, your grief matters. Our team is here to support you — in a way that honours your experience and fits your life.
Other Conditions We Help With
References
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2022). National study of mental health and wellbeing 2020–2022. ABS. https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/mental-health/national-study-mental-health-and-wellbeing/latest-release
Shear, M. K., Simon, N., Wall, M., Zisook, S., Neimeyer, R., Duan, N., … & Keshaviah, A. (2011). Complicated grief and related bereavement issues for DSM-5. Depression and Anxiety, 28(2), 103–117. https://doi.org/10.1002/da.20780
Shear, M. K. (2015). Complicated grief. New England Journal of Medicine, 372(2), 153–160. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMcp1315618
Bonanno, G. A. (2009). The other side of sadness: What the new science of bereavement tells us about life after loss. Basic Books.
Prigerson, H. G., Boelen, P. A., Xu, J., Smith, K. V., & Maciejewski, P. K. (2021). Validation of the new DSM-5-TR criteria for prolonged grief disorder and the PG-13-Revised (PG-13-R) scale. World Psychiatry, 20(1), 96–106. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20823