Grief and Loss Counselling in Port Moody, BC.

Through the use of a client centered approach, we help children and adults learn new ways to process and cope with the loss of a loved one. We use tools such as psycho-education to help clients better understand the grief cycle, as well as use different modalities and ideas for self-care and positive coping as they move through the grief process. We work together with the client towards healing and acceptance.

Do you wake up in the morning and have a wave of sadness wash over you as you remember the pain of your loss? Although bereavement is part of life there are times when the circumstances surrounding a loss of a loved one makes it very difficult to come to terms with. Together we will hold a space that will allow you the opportunity to be comforted and heal.

There are many types of loss and the process of grieving can sometimes feel lonely and hopeless. Sessions strive to explore the depth of loss and its impacts on your life. This is done using ways that honour the natural process of grieving in order to move toward full healing. It would be my honour to journey with you through your challenges of loss and grief, with gentle compassion and understanding. With guidance and support you can move beyond the intense pain of loss and come to a place of peace.

For each client I work with, I provide a personalized and tailored approach, drawing from a range of therapeutic modalities to support your mental health healing and functional recovery. Through a collaborative, client-centered process, I will walk alongside you as we explore meaningful ways to navigate grief and loss—empowering you to live a more fulfilling and balanced life.

Therapy with me offers a compassionate space to gently process your grief at your own pace. Together, we'll explore the pain of your loss while honouring the love and meaning behind it. I'll support you in making sense of overwhelming emotions, finding steady ground and reconnecting with hope. Grief is not something to 'get over' but with care and presence, it can be carried differently. You don't have to face it alone. Healing begins with being heard

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 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.

We have to learn to live with it, but losing someone close is so painful and we will all face this pain at many points in our lives. It can feel like we've lost a part of ourselves that we won't be able to live without. This pain can linger, and it can disappear only to reappear as if it had just happened. My hope is to help you feel comfortable to let it in as something that allows you to appreciate the relationship that once was in all its completeness.

Grief is a natural part of life, but it can also be one of the hardest things we experience. And we don't only grieve the passing of a loved one; we also grieve pets passing away, the loss of a job or a relationship, the loss of bodily function, the loss of a part of our identity, or the figurative loss of years of our lives due to extended trauma, illness, caregiving, or feeling lost. Talking about it can help. EMDR Therapy can help as well, when the loss was traumatic or unexpected, and when you feel unable to move on after a lengthy period of mourning. I have a deep understanding of this, which allows me to be offer you insights and help you to feel better.

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.

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.

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.

My Approach to Grief and Loss Counselling includes: Being an Active Listener, Communication, Being Empathetic, Having Compassion, Discovering Strategies and Techniques for Coping with Your Loss, Having a Safe Environment, and Being Non-Judgemental. Benefits Of Counselling with me: I let you Talk about your Loss Openly and Without Guilt. I give you the Emotional Support you need to be able to Express Your Emotions Freely. I will help you to Understand how you can Live Without your Loved One, and how to Recognize and Manage your Intense Feelings that You are Experiencing. We will Learn the Different Ways You Grieve, and How this can Benefit You, and then Prepare for Triggers.

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.

Renee approaches grief therapy with a steady, grounded presence. She understands that loss can feel disorienting, overwhelming, and deeply personal. Her role is to create a compassionate space where clients can move through grief at their own pace without pressure, timelines, or expectations. Whether someone is grieving the death of a loved one, navigating a major life transition, or facing another profound loss, Renee’s goal is to help them integrate their experience in a way that honours what (or who) was lost. Together, the work focuses on building resilience, not by “moving on,” but by finding a way to move forward with self-compassion and hope for what lies ahead.

I work directly with the emotional parts of the brain to take the edge of the pain of grief and loss. I accomplish this through the use of narrative therapy, logotherapy (meaning and purpose), EMDR and OEI (draw out specific areas of emotional pain), and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Clients report that this process significantly decreases their level of stress and pain without the need to recall or relive painful events.

Are you struggling to cope with the loss of a loved one? Do you need assistance to move forward through the grieving process? Counselling can provide you with the support and guidance needed during the grieving process. Charlene has assisted many clients over the years to find peace during this difficult time. Call Charlene to find out how she can help you.

The loss of a loved one, human or non-human, has a tremendous impact on our emotional well-being, our day to day functioning, and our identity. Dr. Rochefort helps individuals experiencing grief or loss to process the emotional tidal wave, develop skills to support emotional safety, process the grief or loss, and redefine a new life that is worth living.

If you have lost someone, I offer a compassionate and supportive space to explore your unique experience of loss. Listening carefully to your story, there's an opportunity to identify and honour your feelings, your memories and your relationship. Through gentle conversation and questions, there's a chance to rewrite your grief story, discover strengths, attend to resilience and find meaning amidst your pain. You can begin to acknowledge what you've been through while promoting healing, growth, a continued bond with the one who has passed and learning to live with loss

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

My hope is that as clients work through the reality of the loss they have experienced, they will recover their clarity and inner direction, and will begin to create ways to move forward. Clients are encouraged to acknowledge the loss and to explore the gamut of emotions accompanying this loss. Clients are encouraged to express their gratitude for what was, and at their own pace, begin to move forward.

Losing a loved one, a job or changes to a closely held worldview and value structure alters the way you experience the world. The grieving process over this loss is natural as you come to terms with your new reality. This can be an uplifting time and growth opportunity. By embracing the change in your reality, identifying its meaning and effects on your value structure you will be able to celebrate a lost love one’s life and lessons learned to move forward with the greater purpose. Grief becomes overwhelming when we are trapped in mourning what we no long have. I will work with you to sooth this pain and help identify areas of positive growth; so you can come out the other side a greater str....

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!

If you are human and have ever loved, you will inevitably experience grief in your life. Grief comes as a result of a loss, whether it be loss of a loved one, a job, a home. Sometimes, grief is so intense, it feels overwhelming and paralyzing. My approach in dealing with grief is to provide a safe space to work through and process all of the emotions surrounding the loss, ultimately leading to a place of acceptance and peace.

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.