Grief and Loss Counselling in Abbotsford, BC.

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!

Grief can change everything. It can leave you feeling lost, exhausted, angry, numb, or wondering how you're supposed to move forward when a part of your life has changed forever. You don't have to have the right words or know what you need before you reach out. Together, we can make sense of what you're carrying, find ways to cope with the moments that feel hardest, and help you move forward without feeling like you have to leave your memories, or the person you've lost, behind. My goal is to help you feel more grounded, supported, and able to find your footing again, one step at a 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.

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.

Grief can come from many kinds of loss — the death of someone you love, the end of a relationship, changes within your family, or the loss of the future you thought you were going to have. There is no single right way to grieve, and sometimes the people around you may not understand why you are still struggling. I offer grief and loss counselling with warmth, compassion and space for whatever you are feeling. Using an emotion-focused approach, we can make sense of your grief, the relationships and attachments connected to your loss, and what it means to carry that loss while gradually finding your way forward.

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.

Losing a friend or family member can be devastating no matter the circumstances. We can also experience pain from losing a pet, a job or the ending of a relationship. Regardless of what kind of grief or loss you are struggling with, I will support you in facing your pain and finding a way forward. I will help you to understand the process and stages of grief and make sense of it. When we come to make meaning out of our loss our pain is lessened. I will also help you find peace and acceptance.

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 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.

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.

“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.

In my grief counselling practice, I specialize in guiding individuals through the intricate emotions that emerge following the loss of a loved one or a significant life change. No one person's journey through grief is identical and it's often not a linear path. I provide a secure and nurturing space where you can openly express your feelings, delve into memories, and address the challenges associated with grief. I am committed to fostering a compassionate and understanding environment, supporting you on your journey to healing and finding a path forward.

All humans experience grief and loss at one time in their lives. I work with clients to help them accept the loss that has occurred in their lives. Once acceptance has been achieved I work with the clients to help them remember with a new perspective. Emotions play a large part in how humans work through difficult times. I help them connect to these emotions using mind/body connection process. My clients have been able to move on and live their life instead of existing within pain.

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.

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.