Grief and Loss Counselling in Forest Lawn, AB.

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.

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.

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.

[I OFFER VIDEO SESSIONS THROUGHOUT ALBERTA AND ONTARIO]. You are hurting now, and I understand that. I have been a psychologist since 1986 with plenty of hard-earned wisdom. I too have experienced grief and loss many times in my life. I can help. Let us chat about the pain you are feeling now. Book with me right now by going to https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=14249112

Too often our society avoids grieving a loss, and much too often emotions are unnecessarily dulled by the use of tranquilizers. Dr Mervin (Paraklesis Counselling) can come alongside you with a hope-focused approach that is directed at the tasks of bereavement (rather than the phases of bereavement) that will help you make meaning of the loss. In addition, he will assist you with your medication-related counselling needs, especially where abnormal grief has set in and the depression needs to be treated.

Grief is a normal response to loss. Together we can help you feel less alone as you make your way through the rivers of grief and forests of sadness. I believe no matter how much pain we are in, something inside us is stronger than pain. Accommodating the process of grief and its effects do not have to be processed alone. You can get through this pain, and there is a path back to feeling alive again. We will email back and forth, it's just like talking to a friend only you will receive professional help on your own schedule. Secure, and completely confidential, to assist you in the healing process around mourning , and provide comfort to the bereaved.

If one is going to love they are going to experience loss. Loss, suffering and grief are part of living. Research clearly shows that the grieving process entails emotional reflection and redefining one's way of being in the world. By engaging in grief counselling with me you will rewrite the story of your life so that the one you have lost lives on in you via your memories and in your life via the stories you tell others about them. As the saying goes, "after great pain a new life emerges" by deeply engaging in the grief process with me you will open yourself up to the emergence of a rich and full life.

Feeling lost and alone? Wish others understood, or knew what to say? I journey with people touched by loss in their life, big or small (in fact, in my mind, no loss is really 'small,' because it's significant to YOU). What we do with our disappointments and losses will define who we are (Dan Allender). Whether you're stuck with grief from the past, or coping with life changes today, having friends along the journey who can be with you in your pain are what you need. Together you and I can help you move through this difficult phase of your journey, resulting in renewed hope and yes, joy, that comes from a healed heart.

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.

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 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 emotional pain.

Grief is a natural process that can hurt like your heart's literally being ripped out or like there's a huge hole inside - however you experience it, it's a pain that can defy description. I can guide you through the healing process, which can look different for everyone depending on the situation. It's not about forcing you to move on - it's about helping you grow around the loss until you personally feel comfortable living a full life again.

Grief and Loss is a process, while unique to the person there are milestones and supports that can make the process more natural and healthy. Loss and grief is part of the human experience however, we can become challenged in the process by specific events or circumstances while in the vulnerable state of adjustment and grief. Grief and Loss benefits from supports and compassion.

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.

Grief is a process that is unique to the individual experiencing it. It has a cyclical cycle, rather than linear, and part of getting through it is working on the skills of accepting and releasing as well as identifying personal needs. Learning to identify emotions and knowing how to express them is extremely helpful in building self-awareness and empathy for yourself, as well as others which in turns increases resiliency.

Loss can happen at any point in life. The struggle can be particularly damaging when faced with multiple losses through fertility challenges. Loss can be traumatic and swept under the carpet. Your story is important, your feelings are important and I will create a safe place for you to explore your loss and move towards healing. Your response to your own feelings of loss is unique to you. There is no right or wrong. You are accepted for who you are and where you are at in your own process.

Experiencing grief and loss can feel like navigating through a fog of pain and confusion. This intense emotional journey often brings feelings of deep sadness, loneliness, and disconnection from daily life. My approach provides a compassionate, understanding space where you can openly express and process your grief. Together, we'll explore healing paths, helping you to gradually find closure and peace. As we work, you'll begin to rediscover joy and meaning in life, transforming grief into a respectful memory that honors your loss while allowing you to embrace the present and future.

I provide grief support and therapy primarily following a grief narrative approach. General grief support is available (talk therapy), but by following a grief narrative framework it allows us to work together to examine your loss more closely (death of a loved one, loss of job/identity, divorce, etc) and discuss ways to process and find closure. It is important to fully understand and normalize a grief reaction, and the complicated emotions and responses we often have when navigating grief. I can support you on that journey to find healing. This type of support will benefit you by allowing you to move through the grief process with support and to find healing.

The loss of a loved one can be one of the most challenging emotional experiences that people face in their lives. Loss and grief can also be experienced for other reasons such as when an individual or a loved one develops a serious disability or life-threatening illness. I support people through the symptoms of grief and the difficult life adjustments that follow. The goal of counselling is reached through the expression of emotions, memories and thoughts about the loss, while normalizing its effects. The hope is that eventually people work toward rebuilding and find their new sense of normal.

Many people reach out for help to deal with grief or loss of a friend or family member. Its important to remember to be kind to your self during this time there is no right or wrong way to grieve. Its also important to remember a person can miss or grieve the loss of not only people but also jobs, events, trips, freedom, health and a number of other things As you process your memories of a person or an event you will be contained in a safe environment with acceptance and care.

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.

Loss is a naturally part of life. However, when things get in the way of the natural grieving process, grief can last longer or hurt more than is necessary. I work with clients to eliminate or cope with factors that might inhibit healthy processing as I walk them through they pain they are experiencing from grief. As well, grief is easier when shared and the catharsis of confiding in another.

Gerard has diverse experience as a psychologist and leader in social services, schools, university, workplaces, and his private practice. Using a theoretical foundation of social learning and cognitive-behavioural training, he is well-versed in various kinds of formal and informal assessment and solution-focussed approaches. He listens carefully to understand your needs and relies on his extensive experience to help you find solutions.

I empathize and listen to individuals facing loss and grief. Many clients would benefit from my Rogerian Approach (Client-Centered Therapy) because when clients have lost a relationship, boyfriend, girlfriend, marriage, or someone they love and care for, it is important that they have someone who can really listen to them and understand what they are going through. Each individual may be unique to how a person grieve a loss. Therefore, I make sure that I respect my clients' unique ways of handling their loss. At the same time, I offer feedback and professional opinions regarding various grieving processes out there--in current literature/research.

Grief and bereavement are very normal responses to loss. However, the experience of grief and bereavement can be extremely difficult and feel paralyzing or overwhelming. Whether you have lost a loved one, a beloved pet, or have experienced a change in ability or circumstance, I can help you explore loss, learn tools to process grief, and build a plan for coping.

Grief and Loss can be complicated and difficult. I will help you heal and find peace in those moment trough a genuine approach. I believe that Grief is a journey where you can slowly make sense of what has happened and I will help you get there. Through an empathic approach and using some Emotion Focus technique to help you find meaning and closure.