"There is (of course) a place for counselling, and those who are specialists in providing bereavement support can play an effective role in helping those struggling with grief."
- Christine Husbands, Commercial Director at RedArc
RecArc recognises that grief can be complicated, affecting every aspect of a person’s life – this can include work, sleep, relationships, and health. In its experience, counselling isn’t always the best option (especially on day one) yet it’s the most well-known therapy and often the only solution included in Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs).
Analysis of RedArc’s data shows that, following an assessment, counselling was relevant to just 42% of cases in 2023. The majority of cases required emotional support, complementary therapies, specialist support groups, advice on self-care activities, and coping with sleep problems.
The added-value service provider believes bereavement support that solely offers counselling is falling short. Grieving policyholders need to be assessed by someone with experience, who can then offer them the most appropriate assistance at that time – or direct them to specialist support if needed.
Furthermore, 30% of support provided by RedArc to children was for bereavement, demonstrating the importance of offering a range of support services for younger people too. After the passing of a loved one, children can be hugely resilient, often more so than adults, but many need coping mechanisms to help them throughout their lives.
“Many people assume that counselling is the only option because that is what is most often offered, but there are plenty of other options that should be available for those who’re finding it difficult to cope. Grief is a normal human reaction to a substantial loss, there is no easy fix; often people value the reassurance from an experienced professional,” explained Christine Husbands, Commercial Director at RedArc.
She said: “There is (of course) a place for counselling, and those who are specialists in providing bereavement support can play an effective role in helping those struggling with grief. However, it’s important that those who’re responsible for selecting a partner to deliver bereavement support look widely.
“Many may see counselling as the go-to solution for bereavement, but in our experience, this isn’t the best option in the majority of cases. Bereavement is complex and every situation is different,” Christine concluded.
