Grief and Loss Counselling in Port Coquitlam, BC.

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.

My approach is to join with you to understand your experience of loss intimately and deeply in conversation with you. When we are joined with the pain, you will not have to feel it alone, even if the grief is only fully healed with time. I will help you make sense of your feelings and provide psychoeducation around the phases of grief, specifically to how these known phases can be meaningful to your current experience, what you are feeling, and how you can continue to honour the person, relationship, or thing that you have lost and find acceptance and hope.

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.

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.

The pain of grief and loss can truly be painful. This emotional challenge can extend beyond death. May it be the loss of a relationship - past or present, loss of health, retirement, financial loss, or the death of a loved one, I offer a compassionate and safe space to discuss this grief. In my practice I encourage clients to express their feelings about their losses as part of the processing journey. I offer strategies to cope with the overwhelming feelings while educating my clients about the stages of grief and the mind body relationship during such an experience. Recognizing that grief/loss are profoundly unique experiences, I embrace a person-centred approach during treatment planning.

Grief & loss can seem debilitating and overwhelming and many people struggle in moving on. Counselling is a highly effective resource for healing after a loss. Through compassion and understanding we will work to heal the pain of the event and move into acceptance and peace. Whether you are grieving the loss of a loved one, the loss of health or mobility, divorce or mid life transition, we can help.

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.

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.