Grief and Loss Counselling in Abbotsford, BC.

Grief and loss are a part of the human experience; at one point or another we will all experience loss in our lives and it can be helpful to experience it alongside another person. If you come to me to talk about grief or loss, we will take it at whatever pace feels most comfortable for you. Grief and loss do not need to look one specific way and I am most interested in showing up for you in a way that addresses your specific and unique needs.

Grief and loss can affect every part of life, including mood, identity, relationships, faith, energy, and the way you make sense of the future. My approach is warm, practical, and compassionate, while also making space for the complexity of grief. I support clients in putting words to what can feel confusing, heavy, or difficult to explain, and in understanding how loss may connect to attachment, family systems, trauma, beliefs, and past experiences. Together, we move at a pace that feels respectful, while building support, self-trust, emotional regulation, and practical tools for carrying grief in daily life.

I offer grief counselling to help clients express complex emotions that can be a part of experiencing grief. I work with individuals to recognize symptoms related to grief and loss in its traditional and non-traditional forms. Grief can be a painful experience that leads to a sense of hopelessness, anger, guilt, sadness, and dysfunction. Together we can unpack the burden of grief and help you cope with your loss.

I previously provided consultations for the BC Coroner's Office for 14 years. I functioned as a behavioural investigator and my role was to investigate completed suicides of youths 18 years of age and under. Needless to say this provided me with an opportunity to provide initial grief support to the most some of the most vulnerable clients at a most difficult time! As difficult as this role was it was an honour to have this opportunity to be there at the darkest hour!

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.

Loss and life come hand in hand; whether it be a loved one, a pet or any other thing we hold dear, we all experience grief at some point. When faced with loss, grief is a natural response which comes with a multitude of feelings. Counselling can be a space to explore all that comes with grief or simply sit with our grief and build compassion for ourselves through our experience.

In grief and loss counseling, I create a flexible space that adapts to your needs. Whether you need patient listening or feel stuck and need guidance through open-ended questions, I meet you where you are. I'm genuinely curious about understanding you as a whole person and your unique loss—there's no shallow or rushed approach here, no platitudes or quick fixes. Something resourceful I offer is a therapeutic goodbye letter adapted from Elisabeth Kübler-Ross's work, helping you express complex, contradictory emotions—what you regret and don't regret, miss and don't miss. What makes this different is it honors the fullness of ambivalent feelings. Clients report feeling truly heard, not judged or rushed, as they move forward in their own time.

In my practice of grief and loss therapy, I provide a compassionate and supportive space for clients to navigate the complex emotions and challenges that arise from experiencing loss. I understand that grief is a deeply personal journey and honor each individual's unique process. Through empathetic listening, validation, and gentle guidance, I help clients explore their feelings of sadness, anger, guilt, and confusion. Drawing from various therapeutic modalities such as narrative therapy, existential therapy, and mindfulness techniques, I assist clients in finding meaning, fostering resilience, and integrating their loss into their lives in a way that allows for healing and growth.

“So it’s true, when all is said and done, grief is the price we pay for love.” -E.A. Bucchianeri There are many griefs and losses that come with being a human being: death of a loved one, a break-up, children growing up, any move or major change. You also never lose just one thing; you may lose a sense of "home," or how you remember your past, or future hopes. Counselling can help you navigate grief and loss. It can create a space where the range of emotions - numbness, relief, sadness, anger - can be felt and worked through.

Grief has a way of pulling the ground out from underneath you, and my work is to help you find steady footing again. In our sessions, we look honestly at the pain, the confusion, the anger—nothing is off-limits and nothing is “too much.” I guide you toward uncovering the meaning hidden inside your heartbreak, helping you rebuild a life that feels true rather than numb. Clients often experience a shift from simply enduring their loss to discovering a renewed sense of identity, purpose, and personal strength.

Dealing with grief & loss is not easy. When we are grieving, it is often multi-faceted and non-linear, it can bring up many different emotions, some unexpected. Working with a therapist through grief & loss can help process the many emotions that may arise. I view the grieving process of each client as unique and support you by allowing space and guiding you to process whatever is coming up in a way that feels comfortable and towards healing.

I have lived experience in grief and loss, and through talk therapeutic approaches, we will gently process through feelings of loss, guilt, tragic and overwhelming, devastating feelings that may be creating levels of dysfunction in your current life circumstances. I also utilize therapy walks to facilitate your movement through your loss and to assist in it by carrying and accepting your loss.

Grief & loss can seem debilitating and overwhelming and many people struggle in moving on. Counselling is a highly effective resource for healing after a loss. Through compassion and understanding we will work to heal the pain of the event and move into acceptance and peace. Whether you are grieving the loss of a loved one, the loss of health or mobility, divorce or mid life transition, we can help.

Grief and loss are a natural part of life. That cannot be avoided. Pain is inevitable but suffering is not. Giving people the space to feel what they feel and express what is going on inside them is so important in processing the impact of grief and loss. Grief is not limited to loss through death but also loss in any significant area of our life. Loss of relationship, loss of expectation, loss of opportunity. None is more or less important than any other. I can offer you a safe space to mourn and I can help you rebuild.