Grief and Loss Counselling in Comox, BC.

Grief and loss is a process over time of getting to a place of acceptance. We may experience anger, fear, sadness, disbelief from day to day, even moment to moment. We need however, to live our life to its fullest, otherwise we then, are not really living. I use a combination of therapeutic modalities and tools to help facilitate the process of grief, and move the survivor to a place of healing and acceptance.

When we are facing grief and loss, there is often a complex web of emotions and many layers of meaning-making to encounter in our healing process. The path is never linear. The timeline requires sensitivity and nuance. Compassion, patience and the ability to hold seemingly contradictory feelings are paramount. With gentle presence, we can hold the magnitude and the subtleties of this experience moving step by step towards healing.

While grief and transition are a natural part of life, we are still often overwhelmed by sadness, anger and all the confusing emotions that come with loss. There is no right or wrong way to grieve—just your body and mind doing what it can to process the pain of major life change and the loss of how things were. Working with me means compassionate care that helps you to approach and feel your feelings in a safe way, taking things one step at a time. I promise you that all grief can be transformed into a gentle honouring of who or what was lost. I would be happy to team up with you in your journey towards peace and acceptance.

To provide the psychoeducation with the process and stages of grief and loss: Depression, Denial, Bargaining, Anger, and Acceptance. To provide talk therapy and allow the client to express themselves, however, also incorporate some SFBT and use positive psychology language. To also emphasize that grief has no timeline and certain life events can be a trigger such as brithdays, holidays, or other occasions.

The inevitability of loss of a loved one is something we will all encounter, but each person grieves in their own way. Sessions focus on talk therapy, and finding personal ways to commemorate loss. I have worked with children who have lost parents, adults who have lost friends and women who have lost their pregnancies. Each carries with it its own pain and path to growth.

When we experience loss, we can become stuck in a pattern of negative feelings and emotions. It can be hard to more forward in the healing process. EMDR can help by targeting and reprocessing the underlying memories and emotions associated with the loss, thus allowing us to move through the stages of grief in a more healing and adaptive way. By reprocessing the negative experiences, we reduce the negative symptoms and increase our sense of emotional resilience and well-being.

Grief and loss are a part of all of our lives. If you are experiencing grief and loss then often it is helpful to speak in confidence to a professional who is empathetic and understands the grieving process. There are many ways we can be affected by grief including loss due to death, marriages ending, relationships, jobs, or friends. Benefits of seeking counselling at these times can be to identify and better understand our feelings, to express our grief in a safe place with a compassionate listener who is free from judgement and to explore ideas of the best ways for you to move forwards.

Losing a friend or family member can be devastating no matter the circumstances. We can also experience pain from losing a pet, a job or the ending of a relationship. Regardless of what kind of grief or loss you are struggling with, I will support you in facing your pain and finding a way forward. I will help you to understand the process and stages of grief and make sense of it. When we come to make meaning out of our loss our pain is lessened. I will also help you find peace and acceptance.