Grief and Loss Counseling in Alpine, CA.

Grief and loss is, unfortunately, a normal part of living. There is no single "correct" way to grieve: different cultures and even individuals from the same culture grieve differently. The only consistent feature is that grief takes time. The most effective thing anyone can do for someone grieving is to be there—to listen, to empathize, to walk along with the grief. There is no "fixing" grief. But counseling can help prevent normal grief from developing into major depression or other mental health conditions.

There are many forms of loss that can significantly impact a person's life (i.e. losing a job, friendship, home, death of a loved one, giving up a destructive habit or addiction). The pain that accompanies grief and loss can be so overwhelming that it takes all of our will power just to get through the day. Depending on the nature of the loss, it can feel like purpose and passion for living are missing. I assist clients in a 3 step process which involves acceptance of the loss, finding meaning to the pain they are experiencing, and developing goals to help the client continue productively on their life journey.

People experience many different kinds of grief and loss, from the death of a friend or family member (including pets) to loosing a job or one's health. Therapy for grief and loss can help you through a very difficult and painful transition. Grief is a normal reaction to loss, and allowing yourself to spend time grieving instead of pushing down the feelings and emotions that ought to be expressed can help you to manage through this time in the best way possible. I provide a safe and caring place and a supportive therapeutic relationship as you work through your experience and manage the wide range of emotions you may feel.

I help clients navigate grief and loss by welcoming their deep feelings as a part of the process and navigating them carefully when they become overwhelming. Grief is a growth process like other difficult experiences, and I help clients find the resilience inside themselves to both honor their loss while getting stronger. By honoring the pain of the loss, we can move into a new phase of life that allows for thriving.

Grief and loss comes in many shapes and forms and can take a toll on various aspects of your life. Processing grief and loss takes time and is different for everyone but doesn’t have to be done alone. I will offer support, empathy, and a safe space for you to process your emotions openly. Together we will get through this difficult time in your life. You are not alone.

Grief and loss is a part of so much more than many recognize in every day life. Most folks are familiar with the Kubler-Ross stages, but processing grief is much more than those five stages. There are tasks of mourning that can be explored and expanded with support in therapy. There are secondary losses as a result of an initial loss. Grief impacts how open we feel to new relationships in our lives. I work with clients to help them understand their responses to grief, move through their grief and feelings through expressive arts and verbal processing.

Grief and loss are a part of life and how we deal with it are our feelings around it is very important for internal relief. I help clients undue unwilled and unwanted unbearable aloneness. This can come from many different areas in our lives such as past or present trauma, loss of a relationship, death of a loved one, etc.. Helping clients move through the grief and loss process with support and care is a priority to me.

I am a Certified Advanced Grief Specialist. Grief is a natural process following a meaningful loss and it can influence physical, emotional, behavioral & spiritual aspects of our lives. Grief is most associated with the death of a loved one, but also occurs with the loss of a pet, job, relationship, and changes in your health. People cope with grief in a variety of ways. The intensity and duration of grieving differs between individuals. Therapy is a safe place to express & explore your feelings. I will help you learn to cope and transform your pain into healthier ways of meaning and remembrance. Through therapy you will find permission to live your life and develop connection again.

Grief is a force that requires great care and self-compassion. No one grieves in the same way. Grief is not always linked to the death of a loved one. Grief and loss can happen because of a job loss, moving, death of a pet, completing college or a graduate degree program, or even loss of a career. We will practice ways of integrating the loss into your loss, so it isn't this consuming force. For many, the goal of grief counseling is to simply "learn how to live with it." We will practice ways of living with the loss in a way that honors yourself, your experience, and your future plans.

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.

Most of us are familiar with Elizabeth Kubler Ross' model of grief with the 5 stages. While this is helpful information, this model does not fit everyone. I practice from the Winslade and Hedtke model of grief which practices "Remembering". I find that using this model or this model in conjunction with the 5 stage grief model is helpful to helping clients explore loss and grief in finding a pathway forward that honors their own experiences.