Grief and Loss Counseling in Boyes Hot Springs, CA.

Experiences of grief and loss may occur in small doses on a regular basis. But some losses are too intense to handle on your own. When a major loss occurs, whether the death of a loved one, or the loss of a job or relationship, you may benefit greatly from contact with a psychotherapist. I am experienced at helping others get through these difficult and painful times. Suffering is unavoidable in this world. But you do have a choice about whether to do it alone. Let me know if you would like to talk about getting some counseling to help you through a difficult time.

When you lose something or someone important or close to you, it may be difficult to make sense of life or to feel that others can relate to or understand what you are going through. If you need someone to talk to about what happened, I am here for you. I understand that sadness is often something that shouldn't be fixed, but embraced. I also specialize in helping people who were hurt or abused by the deceased. Grief and Loss is a painful time of life, one that every human being goes through. You are not alone. I will come alongside you through the anger, loneliness, fear, shock, and panic. In the middle of the grief, the way forward can bring hope, strength, peace and freedom from guilt.

Losing a loved one changes you forever. While grief is a natural part of the life cycle, everyone can benefit from the emotional support psychotherapy provides. I can help you move through the grieving process so it does not turn into social isolation and depression. You don't have to go though this alone. I provide a safe place for you to sort through your sadness and loss. I can help you gather strength to move forward.

Grief and loss are some of the most difficult of concerns. Yet our grief is a natural reaction to having lost something or someone that was important or invaluable to us. I help individuals and couples focus in on unresolved grief/loss issues, to honor the memories while learning to move on with your life. As a result of my approach, you can learn to live with your loss, move on with your life, while honoring cherished memories.

Grief counseling helps people cope with grief and mourning following the loss of a loved one or due to major life changes that trigger feelings of grief (i.e. job loss or divorce). It provides a space for individuals to work through and process the complex emotions surrounding loss. Healthy grieving results in remembering the loss with a newfound sense of peace, rather than searing pain.

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.

The loss of someone we love or something that is central to our lives is one of the most painful experiences that we can have. We enter a vortex called grief that colors everything and seems like it will never relent. The torn places in us where our missing and longing meet absence feel jagged and raw. The journey to acceptance and relief is best done in the company of others. Family and friends are good but an experienced, mature, warmly compassionate and skilled guide can help you over the rough patches. This is who I am. I can help you.

Free 30 minute zoom call - Grief & Loss are normal experiences in life. Yet, they are often overwhelming - combining experiences of sadness, fear, anxiety, surprise & disorientation, frustration, worry, loneliness, confusion & more. Grief is truly not meant to be experienced alone. The guidance of a caring therapist as well as the support of loving, friends, family & community is invaluable and truly needed. Grief takes time, comes in waves and needs expression in multiple ways, through tears, writing, talking and the help of a grief counselor.

Grief can be a difficulty beast to manage, a beast which can surface at any moment without warning and often comes in waves. When I’ve been grieving I’ve felt like I was in an emotional pong ball. With the aid of tools like EMDR CBT and guided visualizations I can help you to heal and leave the pain, loss, and grief in the past while holding on to the happy memories. Additionally, I can provide tools, coping skills, and other resources to help you manage this particular issue.

The topic of Grief & Loss covers a broad spectrum from loss of a loved one, a relationship, a job...even change. It helps to work with a caring and empathetic counselor who has the life experience to really "get" where you are coming from, to help you move to the other side of things so you dispell those acute feelings of loss and sadness. In addition to my 10 years of private practice experience in this area, I spent several years as a volunteer with the Centre for Living with Dying in Santa Clara, working with people suffering from feelings associated with horrible loss. With gender identity issues, another specialty of mine, there is also often a sense of grief & loss to overcome.

Grief and loss are universal human experiences, though few of us are given the tools or the support we need to express our grief, or, when the time is right, make our way back to life after loss. We are each unique in our response to the loss of people and things that are dear to us. Nevertheless, it does not serve us well either to try to ignore our experiences of painful loss or to keep them at the center of our experience for the rest of our days. I help people move through their grief at a pace that makes sense to them, and I help them, over time, to value the many gifts from who or what has been lost for their ongoing experience of life.

Grief is a normal human experience that can feel abnormal when we are going through it. Some days may be sad days and some days may be fine. Sometimes humans feel grief over the loss of a loved one and sometimes grief can happen over the death of someone that may have been harmful. All are normal and you are normal for feeling those things. Asking for help during this time is a good thing. Send me a message so we can get you feeling better, faster.

So much of my experience as a therapist has roots in supporting clients with grief and loss. Grief is a process, and I can guide you through each phase of grief. We all grieve in our own time, but it's best to do so with a therapist. By allowing the feelings (anger, sadness, frustration, fear, sorrow) to flow through you, the grieving process will happen at a healthier pace. If you feel lost, alone, and struggling to process a loss, I can be your guide. Facing hospice, palliative care, or the loss of a loved one suddenly can each have its own special set of challenges. This is a personal journey, and I am here to offer you support, understanding, and a safe place.

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 counseling helps people cope with grief and mourning following the loss of a loved one or due to major life changes that trigger feelings of grief (i.e. job loss or divorce). It provides a space for individuals to work through and process the complex emotions surrounding loss. Healthy grieving results in remembering the loss with a newfound sense of peace, rather than searing pain.

In addition to working with grief from the loss of a loved one, I also help people experience and heal grief that is more subtle. Early life neglect, abandonment, as well as deep regrets about unfulfilled potentials or about hurts we have caused others- can be potent forms of grief. When not recognized or experienced, loss can be expressed as irritability, restlessness, addictions, frustrations, lethargy and other physical/emotional symptoms. Identifying loss and developing the capacity to experience and express grief (pain, sadness, remorse..) is a powerful healing- and can transform our self and our body.