Grief and Loss Counselling in Bon Accord, AB.

Our world is forever changed after experiencing a sudden and tragic loss. We may feel very vulnerable to the world around us. Everyday living can be an experience of heightened anxiety, loneliness and tears. We may even have strained relationships because the pain of loss is so overwhelming. Together, we can try to make sense of and to understand your loss. We can learn ways to control your emotions, find peace of mind and change your reactions of memories from sorrow to gratitude.

I typically work with individuals who are having difficulty adjusting to life transitions. This might include a recent diagnosis of a health condition, or having a hard time coping with the effects of an accident or injury. For some individuals, losing a job or retiring can bring up a host of emotions. I provide a supportive environment to explore the complex array of emotions and develop strategies for moving forward in a positive way. I will let you know what is normal in the grief process (Hint- there is no right or wrong way to grieve) and let you know if there is cause for concern.

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.

Grief and loss is inevitable in life. All change, no matter how small or how large, involves moving through the grief process. Unfortunately, some people have not had secure attachment relationships to enable this natural process. When we haven't processed the normal developmental changes and losses in our lives, we find other means to overcome the loss such as numbing, obsessive behaviours, or anxiety and depression. Processing grief and loss requires a safe, skillful, dependable, reliable counsellor to help guide you through.

Grieving a loss can feel overwhelming and sometimes it feels like the pain will never end. Losses are experienced uniquely for each individual and reactions can greatly vary. Having a compassionate person to talk and share with makes a difference. Processing your feelings enables you to work through the stages of grief. As you deal with pain, guilt, anger and overwhelm you move from surviving to thriving again.

Losing a loved one important in our life often leaves us reeling but having someone to support us through these times can make all the difference. I realize everyone faces and experiences grief in different ways and I tailor my approach to work best with the client. If you have lost someone and fee like you need extra support, I invite you to contact me to help you through this difficult time.

I am a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist® who specializes in The Grief Recovery Method® Program. It is a highly structured, action-oriented program designed to help grieving people move beyond the pain and devastation caused by loss of any kind. I offer this program in individual and group formats to suit the unique needs of my clients. There are over 40 forms of loss that can create the feelings of grief including death, divorce, romantic break-up, pet death, loss of pregnancy, miscarriage, moving, retirement, end of addictions, loss of trust, loss of safety, loss of faith, and many more. This program offers tangible tools to move from your head to your heart to truly heal from loss.

When working with grief and loss, I believe it is important to be patient and present. I primarily focus on the emotions and experiences of the grief and loss and make sure that they are being felt. Although this can be a painful process, it is important that we are allowing ourselves to move into the pain versus avoiding it so that all emotions, thoughts, and sensations are dealt with.

Grief and loss are experiences that we all experience at some point in our lives. However, we all experience the grieving process in our own way. I understand that grief is a very personal process, and I respect that there are many healthy views about what loss means in our lives. If you are finding grief is making it difficult for you to function day to day, I can help. Together we will explore how loss has impacted your life and process this experience in a way that brings insight and understanding that will allow you to move forward. Our goal is not to make a loss a happy memory, nor a memory we forget about, but an experience we are truly at peace with.

There is no "getting over" loss, but there is a way to grieve and live meaningfully and fully. I help clients adjust to this new reality and focus on what really matters. We will process the full range of normal, complicated feelings that come with loss. Together, I will help you move forward through your pain and grief to build a new life while honouring what you have lost and staying connected to those you love.

Grief and loss are responses to heart ache and trauma. I work with clients to facilitate the expression of their feelings through telling their story. This story telling may be verbal, writing or artistic creation. It may involve making amends or seeking forgiveness. The journey through grief can be difficult yet one that will bring closure and healing. Emotions are along a continuum and if one does not have the ability to experience pain it will be difficult to experience joy. Grief and loss work is life enhancing.

Do you feel intensely sad that someone you loved and cared about decided to leave? Do you miss having someone to cuddle with, go on adventures, and talk about your day? Does it feel impossible to stop thinking about that person, and everywhere you go just seems like another reminder? Are you angry that they left, and compare yourself with their new partner? With warmth, exploration and cutting-edge techniques, I help clients find themselves again after a major breakup, so they can finally heal for good the wound left by deep loss. If you want an end to grief, and re-engagement in a life of play, laughter, and new love, don't hesitate to reach out.

Grief is a natural and universal reaction to events that occur in our lives. Still, the grieving process can be hard to navigate alone. If you are experiencing grief for the loss of a loved one, or if you would like support in processing loss of a different kind, then you can benefit from supportive counselling with me. Psychotherapy for grief and loss provides you with the opportunity to honour the feelings you are experiencing. I will support and guide you to find peace and joy in your own life in a way that values and honours your loss. Grief is natural. We do not need to run from it. I offer you the support and guidance to grieve without being overwhelmed by your loss.

We are social beings. When we suffer loss or grief, we benefit from talking with others about our feelings. Sometimes the purpose is simply to purge, to be listened to while in the depth of our pain. Other times we need to address the unhelpful - even harmful - things we tell ourselves while suffering grief and loss. Regardless, working through grief involves experiencing pain, and being patient with ourselves as well as the recovery process. I like to believe that clients have a safe place in me to engage it.

Times of grief and loss can be difficult times to manage on one's own. At times, overwhelming emotions may make you feel too much. By coming to Base Counselling Services, you will be giving yourself an opportunity to unload any extra or potentially unhelpful emotions and develop strategies of your own to cope with a life that may look different than it has in the past.

While grief is a natural part of life, it can be overwhelming to go through the multitude of feelings that accompany a loss. I believe that people grieve a number of events in life, from the death of a loved one, to the loss of important relationships, retirement, the "empty nest," or transitioning from one phase of life to another. I help those who are grieving to understand the process, and learn how to bear the feelings that rise up "like waves." I also work towards helping people to honour the positive aspects of what has been lost, and reach a place of acceptance, while adapting to a new way of living.

Grief and loss are frequently a root cause of substance abuse, addiction and disorders. The grief process tends to deplete a person's resources, taking up a great deal of their physical, mental, and emotional energy. The absence is not the only thing they are mourning. Their plans, dreams and wishes have changed, and they are being required to let go of the future they anticipated. The phases of mourning include a desire to reverse the loss, feelings of pain and chaos, and the reordering of one's life. At Valiant Recovery, clients receive personalized grief counseling tailored to their needs, as well as specialized sessions on grief and loss.

Most people experience multiple losses in their lifetime: loved ones, pets, jobs and possessions. I help clients process loss through grief counseling. I provide supportive listening, guide clients through stages of grieving and processing of emotional pain. When people experience sudden or traumatic loss, they may require specialized trauma therapy such as EMDR (eye movement desensitization reprocessing) which is proven to be very helpful.

Grief comes from many sources including the death of a loved one, divorce, job loss, financial loss and more. If you've experienced loss, then your world has changed. My work will support you in finding ways to move on with your life in a positive and fulfilling manner and relies on both honoring the past and defining the future. There are positive and negative aspects of how things were and how things will be. Exploring all aspects will allow you emotional freedom and the chance to determine your path.

It has been said that life is about loss, and how one deals with it. Grief is how we deal with loss. Uncomplicated grief is an adjustment process, not an illness. There is one, though...an illness, I mean. I'd say the "illness" is cultural: For one reason or another, people ordinarily lose patience with the grief process, and often well before a healthy mourner is through their active grieving process. Unexpressed grief from former losses can extend the time needed for healthy grieving. People's wounds and scars can close heart and mind toward the grieving process. In an imperfect world, psychotherapists hold space and make time for (and precious to) a balanced grief process.

The loss of a loved one, whether a spouse, friend, relative or pet, is a tough experience to deal with, and grief is expected and normal in such situations. I can work with you to process the grief that you are experiencing, and together we will work towards finding a stronger person within you, who is able to grieve and accept the loss, and also find ways to adjust to the changes that the loss had in your life.

There are many situations when people go through a grieving process. Sometimes, you may find yourself feeling misunderstood, isolated, angry, resentful, burned out, or guilty and ashamed. There is no "right way" to grieve or mourn, but if you find yourself struggling or in distress I am here to listen and help you feel supported and validated while being mindful of what you need.

Loosing a loved ones hurts especially if it's a spouse, child, parent, friend or family pet. Dealing with grief is a process and having a gentle, compassionate person to walk through this with you can be the difference between drowning, and moving through overwhelmingly painful feelings to feeling whole again. Art therapy offers another modality for expressing grief that may be hard to articulate. It is when we process our emotions that pain can be lifted and new maces of being in the world are found.

Feelings of loss and grief come up for different reasons. You may have lost a loved one, a relationship or even a change in your physical functioning due to accidents or illness. Whatever the reason, therapy can help in the grieving process. It gives you the space to acknowledge your loss, what it meant to you as well as finding new ways to ascribe meaning in your life.

[NOTE: MY OFFICE IS IN CALGARY -- I DO VIDEO SESSIONS ELSEWHERE IN ALBERTA]. You are hurting now, and I understand that. As a psychologist with 31-years of experience and some hard-earned wisdom, I too have experienced grief and loss many times in my life. I can help. Let’s sit down over coffee and chat about the pain you are feeling now. Book with me right now by going to https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=14249112