Grief and Loss Counselling in Bowen Island, BC.

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.

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.

Grief and loss can present itself in many different ways and show up in our lives in many different forms. Surviving a loss can be life-shattering, especially if we feel like we are experiencing it alone. My experience with grief is that it comes in waves and is not a linear process. There is no clear process or timeline that we should hold ourselves to when recovering from a loss. Each person's experience is unique and carries its own complexities with it. Together we can discuss what is weighing heavily on you and find a path forward towards healing.

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.

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.

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.

Death is a natural part of the life cycle but whether expected or sudden we are often left with many emotions. My counselling approach gives you the opportunity to express your feelings in a safe and confidential environment, and allows room for exploration of your feelings. By expressing feelings of loss/grief, clients often report feeling less overwhelmed, sad, and depressed.

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.

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.

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.

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.

When dealing with grief and loss, successful results come from processing grief in a healthy manner and moving through to a place of feeling more settled. With my approaches of both EMDR & Neurofeedback (NFB), the brain is supported in a healthy manner to best allow the processing of loss and allow healing to take place. With NFB, neural connections are enhanced, affecting the Central Nervous System in a natural way to get the brain and body to be at its best. Once the brain training is completed, the effects last and the client is able to move forward in a settled fashion. With EMDR, clients can quickly decrease the intense and often negative emotional charge that loss brings.

The pain of grief is different from any pain we feel during our lives. Grief brings up different and sometimes conflicting emotions and unprocessed grief leads to other mental health issues. My approach to grief is creating a safe space in which the clients can share the many different emotions that grief brings up. I also help my clients get in touch with what they need to go through this difficult phase with more compassion. We talk about what the loss means for them and how they can build their life around all the changes that grief brings. Together we will sit with difficult emotions, with the questions that might not have any answers and with the overwhelming pain.

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.

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.

After significant loss, you may experience difficult and surprising emotions, such as anger, shock and guilt. It may feel like the sadness will never go away. I know personally what this feels like and I support many people who are trying to find ways to cope and find their reason to continue. There is no right or wrong way to grieve. There are however many healthy ways to cope with the pain. You can get through it! I can help you.

I understand that the pain you're going through right now feels unbearable, like a heavy weight on your soul. In our work together, we'll create a safe space to explore your feelings and memories, using therapeutic approaches tailored to your unique experience of grief. While the journey ahead may be challenging, it's important to remember that healing is possible. You don't have to go through this alone; I'll be here to support you every step of the way, helping you find a path toward hope and renewal.

Grief can feel like an unbearable weight, making it hard to move forward. If you're struggling with loss, you're not alone. I provide a safe and compassionate space where you can express your pain without judgment. Together, we will work through overwhelming emotions, find meaning in your loss, and help you reconnect with life in a way that honors your loved one. Healing is possible, and I’m here to walk with you through it.

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.

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 can be one of the greatest challenge a person will face in their life. It can be a sudden death of a family member, or an illness that last for years when one repeatedly feels the loss. After a divorce or a break-up, there is a great sense of loss not just for one's partner but also for all one's hopes and dreams. Grief can come in many forms. Some of us become sad others anger, often we withdraw from people and feel a sense of helplessness. Therapy can offer support and a guide to healing. It can be a slow process; it is not meant to forget the person but learn acceptance of what can not be changed and to continue on with one's life.

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.

Grief and Loss are the primary factors in every area of challenge in our lives. It could be the loss of a key relationship or the loss of self esteem, the loss of direction or health or identity, that is the basis of why one needs counselling support. No matter what the loss is, the benefits of identifying that loss and working through the grief process will release you from pain and hopelessness and move you into a world of hope and possibility!

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

While grief and transition are a natural part of life, we are still often overwhelmed by sadness, anger and all the confusing emotions that come with loss. There is no right or wrong way to grieve—just your body and mind doing what it can to process the pain of major life change and the loss of how things were. Working with me means compassionate care that helps you to approach and feel your feelings in a safe way, taking things one step at a time. I promise you that all grief can be transformed into a gentle honouring of who or what was lost. I would be happy to team up with you in your journey towards peace and acceptance.