Grief and Loss Counseling in Pleasure Point, CA.

Losing a loved one can be one of life’s most painful experiences. Everyone grieves in their own way, and grief has no timeline. However you may be struggling, you do not have to do that alone. Having a place to talk about your loss, and being able to process your thoughts and feelings about your individual experience with a therapist’s support can be healing. My goal in my grief work with you is to share practical coping skills to help you adjust to life without your loved one and to ensure that you feel heard and supported as you navigate through your journey towards healing.

Experiencing a significant loss in one's life can be an overwhelming and confusing time. I provide a warm and inviting environment so each person can feel comfortable in talking about and making sense of the different emotions and thoughts one may have. By using a compassionate and supportive approach, I help the person better understand the different phases of grief and learn effective ways to manage feelings of sadness and discomfort.

Everyone, everywhere, at some point, will lose something or someone who was dear and close to them. The pain of grief and loss is a normal part of being human, but you don't have to suffer it alone. Leaning on someone who is supportive and understanding can help you move through and manage the grieving process, that is as individualized as you and your loved one.

Loss is painful. Some losses hurt, but we're able to move past them. Some losses hit harder and we can get stuck in the sadness or anger or a sense of un-reality. We all experience loss during our lives, and all losses affect our sense of self to some degree. If you are struggling with grief that has knocked you off balance, together we can honor what you lost and discover ways for you to continue forward with a new reality.

Working through grief and loss can be confusing and feel isolating. With my approach, I can walk alongside you through the different stages of grief, help you identify the unique ways you are currently grieving now and will need to grieve in the future, and bring you back to a place of resolution regarding your loss, whether that's related to a loved one, a relationship, or otherwise.

I know personally how painful grief and loss can be. Also, my studies and my work at Hospice, counseling people in grief, showed me the many facets of this journey. Whether a loved one has passed, or you are going through divorce, change of home or career, a major loss presents big challenges. You may very well face day to day difficulties like low energy, foggy thinking, overwhelming feelings, physical pain, and changing relationships. I can help you navigate these challenging days and weeks and months. Your journey through your grieving can ultimately be a blessing in your growth, self understanding, and in the expansion of your loving heart.

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 grief and loss therapy with me, you will learn to identify, feel, and let go of past losses so that you can live more fully in the present. By processing unresolved grief, you will be able to achieve more consistent happiness and a deeper level of satisfaction within yourself and in your relationships. Learning with me about your own unique path through the grief process will help you to get more quickly through the experience of loss in the future as well as to do so with more peace. I will also teach you valuable skills so that you can stay more current and comfortable emotionally even after completing therapy. Call me with any questions or to schedule an initial appointment.

Your life changes forever when you lose someone, whether you were close or had a strained relationship. Knowing how to make this transition when your emotions are all jumbled and you at times feel like you might go crazy can be very scary and lonely. Healing from a loss doesn't happen in isolation, nor is it a sole event. That is why seeking help is not only comforting, but also reassuring you are on the right path, knowing what to expect and how best to weather the storm. Eventually you will be able to go on with life and again find happiness and meaning. I've not only walked this journey personally, but I have walked alongside many others. Together we've made the journey successfully.

Dr. Dufford provides a safe, caring environment to resolve issues of grief and loss. Donald Dufford, Ph.D., Licensed Clinical Psychologist has over 25 years experience in helping clients release emotional stress and trauma associated with losses in life. He provides the tools and techniques to let go, access inner resources, move on and create the life you want to have. Dr. Dufford integrates various therapeutic approaches including talk therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, EMDR, hypnotherapy and guided imagery. Call now for a free 10 minute telephone consultation.

Losses from death, miscarriages & abortions, divorce, important relationships, jobs, friends, pets, integrity, independence, are all significant and important to process. Complicated grief requires skill and patience but is possible. Spirituality is an important component of grieving, finalizing and reconciling losses especially the most difficult ones.

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.

Grieving is a very personal experience and we all experience it differently and for different amounts of time. It helps to have someone you can share your experience of confusion, numbness, loss, relief or pain with who won't judge you, or tell you to "get over it." I work with people who are grieving the loss of a spouse, friend, or family member to death, Alzheimer's, chronic pain or addiction. The loss of a child who goes to college, the service, or moves out of the area is a grievous loss that almost no one understand who hasn't experienced it. I listen and we reflect on the times you have lost people and places that were precious to you, and you move towards acceptance, life and hope.

Grief and Loss come in many forms and symptoms can sometimes mimic other issues like depression/anxiety. We can carry grief about many things; the relationships we desperately longed for with our parent, children, partners that never materialized, the betrayal of our bodies as we age or deal with disability, loss of a loved one, pet, or dream. Working through grief is its own very personal journey. My experience working with Bereaved families with Hospice and my own personal losses help inform my approach with clients to deal with their own grief and mourning.

Grief and Loss are some of the most real and difficult emotions and feelings to deal with and to cope and live with. Loss of a beloved family relationship, dear friend, mentor, as well as a beloved pet can cause a shock and vast loss that is seemingly impossible to overcome. Grief and loss therapy is very important to me and has been a major part of my decades of counseling. Grief and loss therapy is not a band aid to the pain. It is a process for working to create closure and a continued internal relationship which can still sustain life after loss. When relationships are important, grief and loss are a process of dealing with the depths of love and attachment which are key to being human.

Grief, if left blocked, can be a significant drain on our energy. It is possible (and common) to move at such a fast pace through life that we are completely unaware of unprocessed feelings. When sadness, loss, and regret are identified, expressed, and released we reclaim our vitality and improve self-esteem. Another benefit of this process is improvement in our relationships. I provide a safe, comfortable environment to explore these issues.

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.

Grief can be experienced in many different ways and sometimes the loss felt so strongly that it is helpful to talk to a professional. I offer a safe and comforting space to listen and suggest ways to process and move through grief for adults, teens and children. Making meaning through means of ritual, journaling, art or simply making space are several approaches that I utilize to support my clients during times of loss.