Grief and Loss Counselling in Barrie, ON.

The grieving process is a natural and healthy reaction to loss, but individuals may become stuck in the process and unable to move forward with life. When the intense and overwhelming feelings of grief linger for an extended period of time, it is called "complicated grief". This heightened state of mourning prevents one from healing and recovery, which is where therapy can help. ​ If you are experiencing complicated grief, counselling can give you the support needed to healthily recover and find new meaning and acceptance in your life. You will learn how to cope with the painful emotions, accept the devastating loss, and adjust to your new reality.

Being alive means experiencing inevitable loss, which is normally followed by grief and recovery. The loss can be the loss of a person, image, ideal, or even a hope. However, the grief and recovery can sometimes be complicated. Every person follows a unique pattern of grief processing. The key for a healthy recovery lies in understanding this pattern in a supported environment. The therapy is about helping the client to get to this insight. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to see if we are a good fit.

First, my condolences... The death of a loved one or the loss of a significant relationship is the most stressful event we can experience. I can offer you practical support and strategies to cope with your loss as well as to establish new meaning. I also provide therapeutic support for those who anticipate the loss of a loved one during at end of life care as well as helping prepare individuals with their end of life transition.

In my practice you will find a safe place to talk about and work through pain, and the feelings of sadness, confusion, guilt, shame and anger that often accompany the experience of grief and loss. Moving through grief and loss is your personal journey that takes time and is experienced uniquely from your own perspective. I provide therapy, counselling and and support for people who have lost a loved one such as a family member, friend or colleague whether through death or the ending of a relationship, those who have lost an important pet or animal companion or people who have experienced a loss that includes a loss of a job or personal identity.

I open up space for clients accept and share their grief, since many people don't feel comfortable doing so, especially with others. I help clients to work toward resolving unresolved grief and express their unexpressed grief. I help clients to honour & give space to their grief. In today's rushed world, people often don't take adequate time to honour their grief & sense of loss. I help clients to try and honour what their lost loved one would have wanted for them, or, sometimes to take back their life back from a lost loved one who didn't value or validate them. I work to prepare clients for grief to be lifelong, though that doesn't mean that it will always have the same intensity.

Grief counseling helps people cope with grief and mourning following the loss of a loved one or due to major life changes that trigger feelings of grief (i.e. job loss or divorce). It provides a space for individuals to work through and process the complex emotions surrounding loss. Healthy grieving results in remembering the loss with a newfound sense of peace, rather than searing pain.

Often the loss of a loved one, pet, item, or aspect of a person can lead to intense feelings of grief. At times when the loss is surrounded by traumatic events this grief becomes complicated. Clients will often find that reprocessing these traumatic moments that led to the loss will help them be able to cope with any feelings that come up. They may find that their memories are no longer haunted by feelings of anxiety, extreme sadness, or loss of hope.

Grief and loss are often associated with death. However, we experience grief and loss in our daily lives, whether we lose a job, a relationship, a friend, a house, etc. Learning to cope with the grief and loss in our lives is important to living a healthy life. Grief and loss are not linear processes. You may experience stage 5 one day and stage 2 the following – and that’s okay. At the Reflection Centre, our team of trained professionals are here to help support you through the stages of grief and assist you in coping with the losses in your life.

After loosing someone close to you it is often hard to find emotional balance. Therapy can provide you with a safe space to process your loss and the difficult emotions that often follow. Feeling sad, lonely, angry, and confused are all normal and healthy emotions to experience during this time. Working with a therapist can help you through these tough emotions as well as how to feel normal and happy again.

As a therapist, I understand the profound impact that grief and bereavement can have on an individual's life. Through therapy, we embark on a journey of healing, offering a safe and compassionate space to explore the complex emotions associated with loss. Together, we navigate the stages of grief, acknowledging the pain, anger, sadness, and confusion that accompany it. Through this process, clients find solace in expressing their feelings openly and learn to integrate their loss into their lives in meaningful ways. Therapy provides a supportive framework for developing coping strategies, fostering resilience, and ultimately, finding a sense of peace and acceptance amidst the pain of loss.

People often think about grief in relation to the death of someone close to them, but the reality is that we grieve all losses: the loss of a relationship, a job, how we used to live our life (e.g., when an accident drastically changes what we can and cannot do). A loss is traumatic, and the thoughts and feelings that come along with that can pull us in and make us feel like we are drowning. We might lose sight of what is important to us or stop doing the things that bring us joy. I will support you in making space for all the memories, emotions, and thoughts that show up so that they do not control you. We will work together to help you build a meaningful life in the face of this loss.

Have you experienced a loss and the grief is consuming you? Maybe you've lost a loved one,a job, a marriage or relationship, or even a beloved pet. I believe the grief that results from these losses is a personal process and at times this process can become overwhelming. Loss is hard. Within a caring, empathetic and compassionate environment, I can help you process through the grief. You will be given space to explore what it means to have experienced your loss, and tools to help you discover ways to move forward. Grief is not about trying to forget. It is about remembering in a way that restores emotional health and wholeness. I can help you with that process.

I approach grief and loss with a deep understanding that it manifests in various forms, each deserving recognition and validation. I emphasize that grieving is a natural response not only to the death of loved ones but also to the loss of pets, plants, and any significant changes in life. By normalizing these experiences, I help clients see that their feelings are valid and that grief can touch any aspect of our lives. It's important to acknowledge and process these feelings at your own pace, and I provide a supportive environment to explore these emotions. Whether it's a cherished pet, a favourite plant, or a life transition, I guide clients through their unique grieving process.

Loss leaves a horrible feeling with a person. We feel left behind and unsure of where to go next. We ought to process these emotions in addition to imagining what moving forward could look like. It is my job to help facilitate this process and be a part of this journey venturing forward which may sometimes involve looking back. However, it is my ultimate belief that we can and will move on and move forward.