Grief and Loss Counselling in Calgary, AB.

When it all comes crashing down, everyone needs a safe place to be heard. It should be easier for Christians - but often it is far more difficult. It's hard to find a safe place to ask the really hard questions. It's even harder to receive subtle messages to, "Contain your sorrow," from others. So, if you're tired of putting on a brave face, come and experience a place where you can be really understood and real help with navigating through that surreal fog and haze. Life's losses are never a place for pat answers or bandaid solutions.

Losing someone you care about can be a very challenging experience filled with a range of emotions such as: sadness, guilt, anger, and regret. Although grieving is a natural process and is often resolved over time, on occasion people find that their feelings of loss are debilitating and are not diminishing over time. Others struggle to accept the loss and are inhibited from resuming their life without the presence of their loved one. In these circumstances, grief and loss counselling can be beneficial. If you are struggling, I will strive to accompany you as you work to integrate your loss so that you are able to reach a place of acceptance and reclaim a sense of peace and well-being.

Grey Matters International and the work of Kevin J. Fleming, Ph.D approaches issues of grief & loss through the lens of innovation----instead of growing the same neural networks responsible for the pain in weekly therapy sessions, we reset the brain to move forward quicker and efficiently by working on the stuck limbic system so as to empower the person with more success and traction. For no one wants to stay in a grief mode for too long; but when you don’t include the brain in your work with someone, you risk describing the water to them while they drown and calling it success. Contact Grey Matters International, Inc now at kevin@kevinflemingphd.com or 877-606-6161.

Grief is the pain we feel over loss. Most of us associate this feeling with death, and this certainly causes intense grief. But all significant losses can cause grief-- intimate relationships, health, employment, a close pet, financial stability, friendships, or even dreams. Dealing with grief means constructively identifying and giving meaning to your feelings, learning to take care of yourself, and planning ahead for upcoming grief triggers. I can help you do this. Counselling can make a difference. I look forward to helping you get back to where you want to be.

Grief and loss can bring a variety of emotions, anywhere from sadness, anger, denial etc...There are even times that grief can be complicated by other circumstances in someone's life. When journeying with someone that is going through a loss it is important that emotions be processed freely without judgment or shame. As emotions are processed through the difficult journey of grief slowly healing begins to occur. After a significant loss there will still feel as if something is missing. However, the distressing emotions can slowly begin to lessen and freedom from sorrow occurs.

Suffering loss and grief is universal and happens to everyone at some point in time, and the pain and suffering felt can leave us feeling overwhelmed, alone, and unable to move on. People respond in very individual ways in dealing with this difficult experience, and many question if their experience/response is normal and how to best cope. I offer counselling to help with all types of grieving, including normal, complicated, traumatic, or persistent/prolonged grieving. The goal is to process your loss so that you can ultimately move forward in a healthy manner. I would consider it a privilege to walk beside you and provide guidance and skills to help you cope during this difficult time.

It is impossible to live without experiencing the loss of someone or something that really matters to us. Grieving is a normal human experience but the emotional pain can often be unbearable. Although grieving does not necessarily have an end point, therapy can assist you to cope more effectively with the loss and return sooner to a meaningful and satisfying life.

We all have grief and loss through the course of our lives. Each experience is unique and reflects the nature of our relationship with the person who has died or departed in other ways, or the loss of hopes and dreams which had yet to be realized. You do likely want the support of people in your life, but you may also have difficulty fully sharing your experience with them. I will be able to hear all that you are thinking and feeling, without judgement or expectations. My own experiences of grief have taught me, as has my work with grieving people, that there is no right or "normal" way of grieving, that it's complicated and isn't just "gotten over". I will be there for you.

Grief comes about as a result of losing something that was important to one in life. It can result in intense feelings of sadness, anger, depression and can be expressed in different ways. It can be due to losing a loved one such as a parent, spouse, friend, sibling or child. It can also be due to losing a job, relationship, dream etc. I will help you explore your feelings around the loss and process your emotions so that with time, you can heal and come to terms with your loss.

Loss of relationship like any loss has significant emotional consequences and can have impacts across the life spectrum. The fact that relationships are one of our primary coping mechanisms multiplies the potential distress. Processing and Resolving relationship loss can lead to significant better quality of life as well as significantly improved quality of future relationships.

I offer grief and loss counselling for not only a human loved one but also a beloved pet. I can deeply empathize with my clients due to having experienced these types of losses myself. I believe that it is only through personal experience that one can appreciate the unimaginable sorrow and heartache of losing a special person or animal. This is why support groups are so effective, as people take solace in the reality that they are not alone.

I help clients with grief and loss using cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), an approach in which I am certified. I encourage clients to set aside regular times to let themselves grieve. This makes it easier to focus on other matters during the rest of the day. I explore with clients ways of grieving which would be most helpful to them.

Grief counselling 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, divorce, or even pandemic-related losses). 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.

Come and experience a gentle and quiet space where your feminine heart can just be. Forget having to look good or say the right things. Bring the hurt, the pain, the anger at God and the questions you don't even feel you have permission to ask and just let go. Let's walk through that fog together and see the hope God has for your future and the healing you can experience right now.

Losses are often the most difficult of life transitions. One can feel like the sadness will never lift or that life no longer has meaning. Grief is a soul journey that will change you physically, emotionally, cognitively, socially, and spiritually. The word "bereavement" literally means to be torn apart. No wonder you feel so tired! Let me companion you as you journey through this dark time in your life. You won't "get over" grief any more than you "get over" love, but you can reconcile this loss in your life and experience a life of hope and joy once more. Learn more about the Companioning Model at centerforloss.com

My goal is to offer a space for you to work through the grief process in however that needs to look for you. We will focus on exploring the loss in conjunction with understanding its impact on your functioning. We will exploring coping strategies to understand their role and function. We will focus on ensuring tools are in place for times when emotions are more challenging.

No matter what your loss, you may experience difficult, overwhelming and surprising emotions. As a counsellor and registered nurse, I have been a companion on many people’s journey through grief. I have been there through the final hours of life, with loved ones when death is traumatic and sudden, when death is through suicide and when parents have lost their precious child. I also understand what it is like to lose one’s health. If you have difficulty facing your grief or coping with the pain of loss, are blaming yourself for the loss, have unresolved issues or are depressed, I can help you.

Dealing with grief and loss can be overwhelming and leave you feeling like there is no way forward. My job is to stand beside you with a view to the future and the tools to help you find your way forward with a safe place to resolve the sense of loss and adaptive coping skills. It is humbling and inspiring to witness clients move from fear and uncertainty toward knowing and strength.

Coming to terms with a loss of something or someone takes time. A gentle approach to hearing the pain and suffering due to a loss of a material object such the family farm, a relational loss of a good friend friend moving away or a parent/child dying, a loss of a dream (bankruptcy), a functional loss such as the use of parts of the body, a role loss (retirement) or a systemic loss (when a child moves out of the home). A process or mourning with some gentle guidance towards healing, relief and daily functioning at the clients pace. Offering a place of listening presence, empathy and compassion while hearing the pains of fatigue, shock, loneliness, anxiety, guilt, anger & sadness.

Feelings of grief and loss can emerge from the loss of a loved one, a pet, a relationship, a job, a house, a community, and just about anything else. This journey can often feel too heavy to carry on one's own, and they need a safe space to let down the veil of "I'm fine", and truly feel the sadness in order to move through it and towards the other side of healing.

Here's what clients have said: "When I came to see you, I felt that I was talking to a friend who understood and was in no way judgmental. ....I always felt better after leaving your office...You seemed to know when to talk and when to let me talk - which was most of the time." "Thank you Kathryn for creating a safe place where I could be free to be in the very depths of my grief and yet always knew I wasnt alone. ...Unlike other people who wanted me to stop crying and "just get over it" you seem to understand how grief overrides reason and problem solving. Most people want me to move on so they wont feel uncomfortable Im sad. You always made it about me, my process and my needs."

[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

Facing grief and loss can be a painful and difficult journey. Fortunately, you do not have to do it alone. Working through grief and loss is a process and our emotions surrounding it are messy and tangled like a ball of yarn. Together we can untangle all the emotions . When healing from grief and loss it is important to remember, celebrate and be thankful for what you have lost. The counselling theories I use to address grief and loss are; emotion focused therapy and attachment theory.

Losing someone or something that is close to us, can leave us feeling as though we have a gaping hole in our hearts. Grief and Loss counselling will help you feel less alone during this time of struggle and provide the support needed to find new ways to flourish. It's incredible what kind of growth and new meaning can come from allowing ourselves to be transformed for the better by our loss.

Losses can be very difficult to cope with. They often disrupt our routines including positive and rejuvenating activities and connecting with others who are supportive. My approach involved helping clients discuss, process, and grieve their loss in a supportive, safe, and caring place; helping clients re-connect with supportive friends and family and re-initiate positive activities as well as developing new activities and finding new support. Also, cognitive therapy can be a helpful addition which can be used to help clients develop acceptance and realistic thinking and emotions related to their recent loss.