Grief and Loss Counselling in Bowen Island, BC.

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 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.

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.

Loss may comee in many forms. The most obvious is relationship loss. A partner, spouse, relative or friend whos is not lomger with us can be an incredibly intense experience. Even someone who has moved away can leavchments to their e a void that may be difficult to fill. Other types of loses include that of ones pet. Many individuals form strong to their pets and this loss can be devistating. Grief is a naturel process that promotes healing. If grief persists for too long then it may dominate a persons ability to return to normal functioning

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.

We offer support and provide a safe and empathetic space for clients to process their grief and navigate the complexities of their emotions in the aftermath of loss, breakup, or significant life changes. Drawing upon evidence-based approaches, we guide clients through the stages of grief, helping them understand and make sense of their emotions, thoughts, and experiences.

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.

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

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 can be a complex journey to navigate. The therapeutic process honours pain while gradually moving toward the acceptance of the reality of loss, integrating hope and adaptation. Our responses to loss vary, and so there are many ways one can cope with it. In therapy, open dialogue is encouraged to help you express and explore your emotions, without judgment. Practical coping skills may be introduced to manage daily challenges, ensuring a balanced approach to rebuilding life with loss.

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.

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.

Grief is common to us all, however, how we grieve, is a very individual experience. My focus is in familiarizing you with your process of grieving and helping you reorganize your emotional life with grief as a predominant character. Grief can be alienating, to our former self, as well as to our those closest to us. My role is helping you integrate your grief, as much as we can.

Loss can leave one with a myriad of emotions (feeling overwhelmed, confused, depressed, deeply sad, angry, among others). If left to our own accord, most will eventually begin to feel generally better; however, some lasting emotionality is not uncommon. In other cases, individuals experience a persistent and long-lasting deep sense of loss. In either event, counselling can help individuals to honour the emotionality of grief and loss while reducing the overall effect on their daily living. Ego-State therapy, is particularly well designed for grief and loss interventions, helping individuals to understand the loss, as well as finding and bolstering their own personal coping resources.

Grief is not only about losing a loved one . It’s about losing anything that is meaningful to us . Over time , we have developed an attachment with these important parts .Losing these parts leaves us with an insecurity. Through the therapy , we learn to see these parts , explore the needs that are left unmet and learn how to live while grieving.

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.

When we are facing grief and loss, there is often a complex web of emotions and many layers of meaning-making to encounter in our healing process. The path is never linear. The timeline requires sensitivity and nuance. Compassion, patience and the ability to hold seemingly contradictory feelings are paramount. With gentle presence, we can hold the magnitude and the subtleties of this experience moving step by step towards healing.

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.

Coping with the loss of a loved one can be a very painful experience. When you are caught up in strong emotions such as sadness, anger, fear, or shock, you may feel alone and misunderstood, and wonder if your experience is normal or if it will ever end. You do not have to walk this journey alone. I will come alongside you, to patiently and gently help you move through the grieving process toward a place of acceptance and peace so that you can recover a sense of contentment and meaning in life.

Are you feeling overwhelmed by loss, struggling to cope with the pain, and finding it hard to move forward? Grief can be isolating and exhausting, leaving you feeling stuck in sadness and longing for peace. As a clinical counsellor, I understand how difficult this journey can be. But I also know that healing is possible. Imagine having someone by your side who truly understands what you're going through, who offers compassionate support and effective strategies to help you heal. Together, we can navigate this difficult time and find a way to honour your loss, rebuild your strength, and rediscover hope. Let's start this journey together. Book a free 15-minute phone consultation today.

Despair and grief can be overwhelming to navigate alone. These experiences can leave us feeling abandoned, depressed, and hopeless. I hope to support you by understanding your loss and deepening into your emotions to help you process your pain. I will be here to support and guide you on your journey with grief, creating a dedicated space for you to share your thoughts and feelings and begin to heal.

The emotions of grief and loss can feel like overwhelming waves that crash on top of us and threaten our survival. The ironic thing about this violent process is that when we commit to experiencing the waves, we feel better. In fact, grief can also be compared to a ‘vehicle’ that if and when we choose to enter, will faithfully drive us to a place of healing. While no one can carry the burden of our grief journey for us, having a therapeutic support can keep us from feeling isolated, as well as help focus us when the waves threaten to overwhelm our sense of progress and hope.

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.