Grief and Loss Counselling in Port Coquitlam, BC.

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.

My approach to grief and loss is to first acknowledge that grief is our natural human reaction to the sadness of losing something or someone intensely precious and meaningful to us. Losses can be the loss of a person, a relationship, a dream, a pregnancy, a job, or even things such as our health, independence, or dignity. Working with me, I will create an environment of compassion, authenticity, empathy, and caring. Step by step, I will walk with you as we examine your emotional world as it relates to loss. Emotions which are allowed to be experienced and expressed with the safety of a genuine and caring therapist, can release us from the pain we experience and can open the door to healing.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

It is beyond feeling down when you lose someone special or a loved one to death, addiction, divorce, immigration, or other life circumstances. You may find this a very lonely journey. We help you heal from your grief and loss using Narrative therapy, Gestalt therapy, and a person-centered approach while honouring the past about that loss and providing you with empathy in your grief journey.