Grief and Loss Counselling in Saanich, BC.

Do you feel as if your energy is consumed by grief? Grief and loss are an inevitable part of life, such as with : a relationship breakdown, divorce, loss of a loved one, infertility, miscarriage ,the loss of a child, loss of a beloved pet, abortion, illness and other significant changes in your life. As your therapist, Laurie can help you learn to cope with your grief and begin to more fully come to terms with your loss. Laurie can help you transition through the pain to resiliency and healing.

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.

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.

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.

I am honoured that you are interested in my services and I would like to tell you a little bit about myself. I have been described as slightly non-conventional in the counselling world, which suits me perfectly, and also tends to suit youth who are trying to stand up to the force of the problems in their life. I am very comfortable working with this population, and I feel fortunate that I can connect with teens the way I do, conventionally or in a way that makes sense to them.

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.

In grief and loss counseling, I create a flexible space that adapts to your needs. Whether you need patient listening or feel stuck and need guidance through open-ended questions, I meet you where you are. I'm genuinely curious about understanding you as a whole person and your unique loss—there's no shallow or rushed approach here, no platitudes or quick fixes. Something resourceful I offer is a therapeutic goodbye letter adapted from Elisabeth Kübler-Ross's work, helping you express complex, contradictory emotions—what you regret and don't regret, miss and don't miss. What makes this different is it honors the fullness of ambivalent feelings. Clients report feeling truly heard, not judged or rushed, as they move forward in their own time.

Grief and loss can be all consuming in one's life. Therapy can move you through the pain to a place of honouring that which was lost. Our body holds onto grief. Instead of "leaving it all behind", healthy grieving is a way of creating space to carry forward the helpful and beautiful essence of people, moments, events and items that are important to us.