Grief and Loss Counselling in Anmore, BC.

Grief is individual and comes in unexpected waves. I have yet to hear of two similar grief experiences. Walking alongside someone who is grieving has deeply touched me in my work. Grief can be a heart wrenching, and painfully beautiful experience when shared with a trusted, safe other. The path towards healing and wholeness is as unique as the stories of grief themselves, but you do not have to do the work of healing alone, in the dark.

As we journey through life loss is inevitable. We experience loss whenever there is a transition in our lives; changing careers, moving, our children leave home, our relationship ends, and most deeply when someone we love dies. All of these losses require us to grieve. Each of us feels the depth of the loss or change in our own unique way so our grief is very individual and personal. In my work with grief and loss I offer, with deep compassion, a safe place to express the emotional pain around the loss you are experiencing and offer tools to help you navigate life with the loss and find a way to thrive again.

Do you wake up in the morning and have a wave of sadness wash over you as you remember the pain of your loss? Although bereavement is part of life there are times when the circumstances surrounding a loss of a loved one makes it very difficult to come to terms with. Together we will hold a space that will allow you the opportunity to be comforted and heal.

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.

Grief and loss are integral parts of life but the emotional devastation that we can experience as a result, can be extremely hard to manage. It's natural that we want to minimize the emotional fallout - it's so hard on our hearts! Medical research has shown that the physical effect on our hearts looks just like a heart attack! The good news is that it's possible to recover. With help to navigate such painful places, I've seen people experience new insights, develop new ways of understanding themselves and others and transform a broken heart into a functioning one again. It's not an easy road, but it leads to a lighter place.

Grief and loss comes in many forms. You can grieve a death, a relationship, job, friend or the loss of a life you thought you would have. Grief and loss counselling helps to identify the loss and provide support through the process. Counselling can be beneficial to help you overcome the grief in a healthy, productive way and move forward with your life and goals.

Grief is a part of life for which we can never truly prepare, and looks different for everyone. There are many reasons why people experience grief which may be due to the loss of a loved one, loss of a pet, loss of a job to name a few. I provide grief therapy in order to help you understand your grief. I will also help to educate you on the different stages of grief so that you can better understand the process of grieving. Grief and loss counselling assists you in processing grief, working with you to find your new normal in the face of loss.

In my work with grief and loss, I utilize Dr. Alan Wolfelt’s “grief as a garden” approach which offers a gentle, nurturing framework for understanding the grieving process. By viewing grief as a garden that requires tending, individuals are encouraged to honor their emotions, embrace vulnerability, and allow healing to unfold naturally over time. In a therapeutic context, this metaphor fosters self-compassion and patience, reminding clients that growth often comes from intentional care—such as cultivating self-awareness, processing feelings, and seeking support. This perspective can empower individuals to see grief not as a problem to solve but as a journey toward renewal and transformation

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.

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.

Are you struggling to cope with the loss of a loved one? Do you need assistance to move forward through the grieving process? Counselling can provide you with the support and guidance needed during the grieving process. Charlene has assisted many clients over the years to find peace during this difficult time. Call Charlene to find out how she can help you.

Grieving after a loss is very personal. It can be messy and mysterious. It is a process. Some may say it is the cost one pays for love. You will be encouraged to tell the story of your loss and how it has affected your life, identify and express various feelings, and learn the various stages of grief. You will know that whatever you are experiencing is normal. Through the process, you will begin to recall happy moments and may develop[ and enact acts of repentance and implement acts of spiritual faith as a source of comfort and hope.

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.

GRIEF AND LOSS THERAPY Discovering how to live with and move through the pain of loss is a deeply personal process. There is no set amount of time or way to grieve. Only the time and manner that is right for you is right. Sadness, intense grief, anger and fear, a sense of lost identity, feelings of guilt, disorientation, a loss of purpose, a feeling of numbness may be part of your experience. As a counsellor who has worked with people of all ages and backgrounds, I bring a compassionate heart, a nonjudgmental approach and a warm environment where you can safely explore the feelings and thoughts that face you. Getting the support you need can make a huge difference.

When we are mourning a loved one, whether it be a family member, the end of a close relationship, or even an animal that was dear to heart, it is a very complex and painful process. There is no one right way to grieve. Some clients need to discuss a specific situation word-for-word in order to process a loss and others need to just sit in the pain and cry. As a counsellor, I would be there on that journey with you. I would discuss with you what you want to discuss about the loss and I would use a client-centred approach to help guide you through your bereavement.

If you have lost someone close to you through death, relocation or the end of a relationship, and feel isolated and lonely, it takes time and support to gently move forward in life. If you are shy or feel anxiety in social situations it can be hard to reach out for help and create the supportive relationships you need. I can help you move forward, gain a new sense of self worth, and begin to create meaningful nurturing social connections.

You may have heard this before- grief is not linear, and it comes in many forms, whether it is the loss of a loved one, a home, a friendship, or a relationship/marriage; maybe it is the loss of mobility or good health, perhaps it was a dream you envisioned for yourself, or perhaps you're grieving the life and privilege you once had. Everyone experiences grief differently, and there is no timeline for the grieving process. Together, we practice patience within ourselves and explore how grief impacts you physically, emotionally, and behaviorally. You will find a nurturing and supportive space that gives you time to go through the process without judgment. The loss you've experienced matters.

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.

Loss can break, alienate, initiate, and open. It can lead to oceans of feelings looming over us, a sense of being distanced from oneself and others—far away adrift at sea, rage at the injustice of loss, and even shame at experiencing rage. I can't predict what the waves may be like for you, but I can help you respond to them. Whether your instinct is to hold, brace, jump, dive, run, scream, float, or let the waves wash over you, together we can feel out what to do and what to make of it all.

If you are human and have ever loved, you will inevitably experience grief in your life. Grief comes as a result of a loss, whether it be loss of a loved one, a job, a home. Sometimes, grief is so intense, it feels overwhelming and paralyzing. My approach in dealing with grief is to provide a safe space to work through and process all of the emotions surrounding the loss, ultimately leading to a place of acceptance and peace.

For each client I work with, I provide a personalized and tailored approach, drawing from a range of therapeutic modalities to support your mental health healing and functional recovery. Through a collaborative, client-centered process, I will walk alongside you as we explore meaningful ways to navigate grief and loss—empowering you to live a more fulfilling and balanced life.

Whether you feel buried in the untimely loss of a loved one; you are experiencing the grief associated with losing a job you desperately needed; buckling from the pain associated with the breakdown of a precious relationship that you were greatly invested… there is hope to breathe again, to live a life of joy, to get out of bed in the morning. Let me walk by your side, and provide you tools that have been proven to lessen your load, and bring you back to that strong capable person you know you once were.

Are you feeling sad, anxious, angry, lonely, guilty, relieved, isolated, confused, or numbed out? Loss and grief is most often associated with loss of life, but it can also be central to the presenting problems and underlying issues that are brought into my counselling office by most of my clients. Death, divorce, relocation, immigration, job loss, relationship breakdowns...these are all losses that we need to work through. Talking about your loss and processing your feelings is a good place to start.

Grief and loss leave us feeling distressed and destabilized. Whether your loss is through a break-up, death, or transition, grief can feel constant and heavy. I provide a supportive environment in which to reflect on the impact of your loss, and make sense of what this means for you - your sense of self, and your future. Whether it is the early days of your loss and you are looking for support to anchor you, or you have been struggling with this loss for months or years, we can work together to reconstruct meaning in your life.

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.