Grief and Loss Counselling in Gulf Islands, BC.

Coping with the loss of a loved one can be a very painful experience. When you are caught up in strong emotions such as sadness, anger, fear, or shock, you may feel alone and misunderstood, and wonder if your experience is normal or if it will ever end. You do not have to walk this journey alone. I will come alongside you, to patiently and gently help you move through the grieving process toward a place of acceptance and peace so that you can recover a sense of contentment and meaning in life.

In my grief counselling practice, I specialize in guiding individuals through the intricate emotions that emerge following the loss of a loved one or a significant life change. I provide a secure and nurturing space where you can openly express your feelings, delve into memories, and address the challenges associated with grief. As your dedicated counsellor, I am committed to fostering a compassionate and understanding environment, supporting you on your journey to healing and finding a path forward.

Are you feeling lost and overwhelmed after a loved one has passed away or a partner has left? Do you feel like you're carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders? Do you find it difficult to get out of bed in the morning, or focus on your daily tasks? Grief can be a heavy burden, but you don't have to carry it alone. As a specialist in grief counselling, I can help you find a way through. By combining both warmth and compassion, as well as evidenced-based techniques, I can help you make sense of your loss. Together, we can find relief from the pain, while still honouring the memory of the person you've lost. If you're ready to start feeling better, don't hesitate to call.

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.

We all grieve as grief is a natural response to loss. However, losing a loved one or even a cherished pet can affect us in profound and life-changing ways. Sometimes, loss is experienced due to losing a job or a relationship, and we also experience grief. My approach to Grief counseling can help you process the emotions experienced because of loss or traumatic loss. If you are overwhelmed, unable to separate from your loved one, or having difficulties with physical symptoms, routines, lifestyle changes, trauma, and sadness, our work together can help you accept the emotions experienced, develop strategies to cope with loss, build on strengths through support, and heal and adapt to change.

Did you know that the "stages of grief" were actually developed for those facing death, NOT for those who have lost a loved one? Unfortunately, this leads many to feel they MUST grief in a certain order of stages. -And that if they don't, that they are somehow doing it wrong. NOT TRUE! Grief looks different for everyone and happens at it's own pace. I offer non-judgemental support and guidance to those who have suffered a significant loss. This includes the complicated grief of losing a living family member to addiction, mental illness or brain disease such as dementia.

We understand that grief and loss profoundly impacts individuals and families. We also understanding grief means understanding the relationship or relationships that have been lost. We want to understand the love and the loss experienced and help to hold space for the grief, create meaning, and healing. We further understand that some grief is complicated. We are here to support you.

Are you feeling sad, anxious, angry, lonely, guilty, relieved, isolated, confused, or numbed out? Loss and grief is most often associated with loss of life, but it can also be central to the presenting problems and underlying issues that are brought into my counselling office by most of my clients. Death, divorce, relocation, immigration, job loss, relationship breakdowns...these are all losses that we need to work through. Talking about your loss and processing your feelings is a good place to start.

Losing someone through a relationship break up, the loss of life, or a major change in life circumstances can be the most profoundly sad experiences we endure in this life. A loss may feel insurmountable or you may be numb, rejecting the loss, avoiding the suffering that comes with acknowledging a new reality. It is sad but true that suffering is a part of human existence. But so is joy, happiness and contentment. Counselling can help you understand what you need in order to grieve. Recognizing the importance of your loss, accepting it and making plans for moving forward can help you continue on your path and learn to cope and survive your grief.

Experiencing a loss goes beyond the loss of the family, friend, pet, or child to be. Not only have you lost the loved one physically; you lose what your life was with them; and what your future with them would have been. Overcoming such loss can feel overwhelming and impossible to heal. Counselling can make a significant difference in getting through this difficult period. Family members who may mean well may not understand the loss and inadvertently cause us pain: by expecting us to ‘get over it’, and by impatient and unsympathetic. Counselling offers a compassionate sounding board that is sympathetic and non-judgemental. We are able to heal at our own pace in a supportive environment.