Grief and Loss Counselling in Magrath, AB.

In helping clients cope with grief and loss I begin by assessing their state and meeting them where they are at. Counselling of this nature is less about problem solving and more about holding my clients' experience for awhile, helping them process what has happened, and honoring whatever they bring to the room. Client's often feel lighter, like they can bare the weight of their loss, once they've shared their experience with a supportive, compassionate listener.

We all experience loss along our life path. Be it the loss of a loved one to death, or the loss of one’s physical ability, job, relationship, or dream, Lethbridge Family Services offers individual and group counselling to assist mourners through their grief journey. Clients are supported in opportunities to explore the grief process while developing and increasing coping techniques in a safe, supportive and caring environment.

Who can go through life without suffering grief and loss? It is part of the human journey. So rather than running away from it, medicating it, why not find a trusted companion to process it. This would mean acknowledging what the loss object has added to your life and its meaning, what you will miss, and how you will reconstitute your life now for growth and a different future. Working with a therapist, you can find symbols and design rituals to represent various pieces of your loss to help you integrate what you let go of and the new life that beckons you.

As loss and grief are a part of daily life, clients will benefit from learning about and being supported through common grief reactions, different grieving styles,and various processes and aspects of the grief experience. Clients will be validated in their unique experience and encouraged to move forward as they successfully integrate their loss and grief experience in their life's journey.

The experience of grief and loss can be compared to a journey with a beginning, a middle, and (although not seen initially) an end. We at Crossroads, walk with our clients and give them tools to help them make sense of the emotional impact of their loss and how their reactions to it are often normal, considering the circumstances. We help clients understand healthy grieving and the transition to a life 'without' -- without that person, that relationship, that beloved job.

It is normal to feel a profound sense of grief when a loved one passes away, or even at the loss of a relationship, job, special item, or dream. I provide a safe, relaxed, and supportive atmosphere for you to explore and express all the varying, and sometimes confusing, emotions that come along with the grief process. As we begin to make sense of the loss and make meaning from it, you will uncover a new direction or renewed purpose in life, and the sad feelings will begin to subside. Rather than trying to forget the pain, you will be able to remember your loved one or your loss, with feelings of gratitude for the past and inspiration for the future as you move forward in life.

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.

Dealing with the loss of an important person is always one of the hardest thing to do. Using a scientifcally savvy approach to bereavement does not mean that we do not use the concept of soul. Understanding the complexity of what happens to us must always been one the most important goals for counseling; and grief, pain and sorrow are often deeper than many people think.

All people experience grief and loss in their lifetime. Greif and feelings of loss can result form losing a pet, job, transferring to new a community, or virtually anything that an individual has strong emotional connections to. Everyone copes with loss and grieves in very different ways. My goal is to help clients through the grieving process in a way that fits for them using therapeutic tools and strategies tailored to each unique client-experience.

I recognize that the grief created by loss of a loved one, a relationship, a job, or any other life situation in which loss occurs is something that is unique to every individual. There is no set list of steps to follow and no timetable for when grief ends. I can help you navigate your path through grief to a renewed state of wellbeing. If you have ever worried that you will never be happy again, rest assured that this is achievable.

When things in life happen beyond your control, it can feel like there is no light at the end of the tunnel. I strive to provide a safe, caring, and compassionate environment where you can share your grief without worrying that you are burdening your friends or family with your concerns. As losses are often related to trauma and cause emotional disturbances, clients can benefit from EMDR to help reprocess the disturbing events without having to reveal or re-live every painful detail.

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.

Grieving is healthy and involves a person experiencing loss acknowledging the loss and allowing some form of emotional connection to be experienced. If the loss was dramatically, or even traumatically significant to the person, the grieving process will likely be cyclical throughout the rest of that person’s life. All losses experienced will be grieved at some level, at various points in life following the loss. Grieving, even decades after a loss, does not mean a person is “broken” and in need of “fixing”. Stages of Grieving is more about “Tasks” that may happen repeatedly and at random placements rather than lineal stages.