Grief and Loss Counselling in Anmore, BC.

I work directly with the emotional parts of the brain to take the edge of the pain of grief and loss. I accomplish this through the use of narrative therapy, logotherapy (meaning and purpose), EMDR and OEI (draw out specific areas of emotional pain), and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Clients report that this process significantly decreases their level of stress and pain without the need to recall or relive painful events.

Though every experience of loss is personal and unique, there are maps to help us navigate this painful process. Sometimes present grief is complicated by past losses that have re-surfaced and this can make dealing with it alone especially difficult. As an experienced and knowledgeable counsellor in the area of Loss and Grief, I can support you in not feeling overwhelmed. I am there as a compassionate listener and witness, as well as a guide, as your heart heals and you are able to celebrate life again.

Grief and loss are a natural part of life. People of all ages, cultures and belief systems experience the sadness that accompanies the loss of a loved one, relationship, career or dreams. Relationship is key. Listening with empathy and validation of feelings is essential. The client needs to be heard, understood and emotionally supported. It is import to help the client understand that the grieving process is unique to each person. There is no right or wrong way to experience loss. It is also important to note that bereavement is occasionally misdiagnosed as depression. When an individual is grieving connection with others is eminent. Depression tends to lean towards isolation.

My Approach to Grief and Loss Counselling includes: Being an Active Listener, Communication, Being Empathetic, Having Compassion, Discovering Strategies and Techniques for Coping with Your Loss, Having a Safe Environment, and Being Non-Judgemental. Benefits Of Counselling with me: I let you Talk about your Loss Openly and Without Guilt. I give you the Emotional Support you need to be able to Express Your Emotions Freely. I will help you to Understand how you can Live Without your Loved One, and how to Recognize and Manage your Intense Feelings that You are Experiencing. We will Learn the Different Ways You Grieve, and How this can Benefit You, and then Prepare for Triggers.

Whatever the loss in your life, we can assist you in recovery and resilience. Loss is experienced differently by everyone and we can hep you move forward through the distress. You do not need to forget or ignore the pain of the experience in order to get the most out of life afterwards. We can help you accept and live with in a way that allows you to move on.

My approach to counselling for grief and loss is that everyone's experience of grief is unique and valid. There is no right way to respond to grief and it is not a linear path. With compassion and understanding I will come alongside you in your journey, wherever you are in your loss. Together we will process the loss as well as the effects it has on your life and relationships. When you are ready we can discuss strategies for your life that will support you as you move forward through the loss and pain, that include meaning and purpose.

The death of a loved one can be the most challenging life event we go through. But death is a life stage we all will go through and the life we have led will impact the ones we leave behind. In my 16 years of counselling clients, I have been able to help clients discover the unique gifts and lessons of the one who has died. Learn how you can use these lessons and gifts to manage your grief in a more manageable way. The feelings and thoughts can be scary, uncertain and confusing to deal with, but you can get through the tough times. You have a unique way of grieving and that is okay. Let me help you find your way. Call me now to see what my services can offer you.

We all deal with loss in our lives, whether through injury, death, or life transitions. However, everyone’s grieving process is unique. I work with you to absorb what has happened, to make sense of the experience, and to explore what it means for you to move ahead. Because loss is a stressful experience, I help you take steps to stay as healthy as possible during the process, in the domains of family, work, and life.

Grieving is a process and a journey, not a feeling. When we lose someone, the feelings that arise are often unexpected, sometimes even random. And whatever those feelings are, we owe it to ourselves to feel them. They will, in fact, demand to be felt. As a therapist, I try to be a vessel to receive the feelings that come. I do so without judgement.

When losing someone or something important to us, it can take lots time to adjust and learn to live our life without that person, thing or way of life. Either it is the death of a loved one, loss of a relationship, loss of a pet, loss of a job or important possessions, change to your way of life, grieving is a normal response to a life event and bottling it up can create damage or even harm to a person. It can take time to adjust and accept to learn to live life without that person, thing or way of life. When it gets too challenging or overwhelming, or if it gets in a way of living a healthy life, sometimes turning to professional support can help getting through this challenging event.

I work with compassion and insight helping clients face loss and grief. Whether the loss is a spouse, a child, a friend, a family member or a pet. I help my clients by explaining the stages of grief that they will most likely go through. I offer a safe place to move ahead from their loss and grief at their own speed. I also have a speciality of working with pet-loss.

Loss is a normal yet profound event in everyone's life. It can be expected or sudden and devastating. Either way it often leaves us feeling as though our world has been forever changed and we find ourselves feeling lonely, lost, angry, sad, shocked or confused. Sometimes others, our fast paced society, or we ourselves expect us to move on quickly and deny or forget it. But grief has it's own story and it needs to be told. Therapy can help you sort out the many facets of your grief and offer resources and strategies to help you cope. Grief changes us and challenges us to find new meaning in our lives when we give it the honor and respect it is due.

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.