Grief and Loss Counselling in Penticton, BC.

Grief is associated with many forms of loss. The most commonly accepted loss is the death of a loved one. Other losses include miscarriage, abortion; marriage, long term relationships; work; treasured possessions; hopes, dreams, wishes; personal integrity; privacy; safety/security; freedom; or trust. Grief is the inward experience of loss; mourning is the outward expression of it. It is a journey, a process, not an event, and needs time and social support to move beyond it. While on that grief journey, it is important to practice self-compassion and patience by reducing demands on ourselves. I can help you explore the depth of your grief, embrace it, then move on as you are ready.

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.

Sheila specialized as a grief counsellor for two years and knows that grief is a natural reaction to loss. Our culture tends to either minimize or pathologize grief. Sheila knows your relationship with the one you're grieving impacts your grief process. She will help you move through your grief and support you through your personal grieving process and the six tasks of grieving identified by grief specialist Therese Rando.

Counseling with Olivia through a trauma-informed perspective can provide a compassionate and supportive space for clients navigating grief and loss. Olivia prioritizes safety, trust, and understanding, recognizing how trauma impacts emotional and physical well-being. By focusing on the client’s unique experiences, she helps them process their pain, rebuild resilience, and find meaning amid loss. This approach emphasizes empowering clients to establish healthy coping strategies and restore hope in the aftermath of profound emotional challenges. Through a tailored, empathetic framework, Olivia fosters healing and growth, guiding clients toward a sense of peace and renewed purpose.

Everybody has experienced loss; some events have more impact on our mind than others. There are circumstances in life that make almost impossible to process this loss. There are way and methods to help with the normal flow of that process in order to overcome the pain. I have over 20 years helping people to find their way and their new identity after the loss.

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.

Grey Matters International and the work of Kevin J. Fleming, Ph.D approaches issues of grief & loss through the lens of innovation----instead of growing the same neural networks responsible for the pain in weekly therapy sessions, we reset the brain to move forward quicker and efficiently by working on the stuck limbic system so as to empower the person with more success and traction. For no one wants to stay in a grief mode for too long; but when you don’t include the brain in your work with someone, you risk describing the water to them while they drown and calling it success. Contact Grey Matters International, Inc now at kevin@kevinflemingphd.com or 877-606-6161.

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.