Grief and Loss Counseling in Richmond, CA.

I find that so much of my work as a psychotherapist involves helping people to grieve their losses, whether that loss is an actual death of a beloved family member or friend, or whether it is something less tangible, but no less impactful, such as the loss that comes from realizing that they were neglected as a child or made to feel unworthy or insignificant. I believe that one of the most important things I do as a therapist is to make space for my clients to grieve their losses so that they can free up stuck energy to invest in their present lives and relationships. For me this is one of the most sacred gifts of my profession, to be able to be there for this deeply important work

Although grief and loss are universal human experiences, there are many factors which can make it difficult to process. I offer a safe space to explore all that you are going through and feeling. Expressing all your complex feelings is healthy and can be so relieving. Repressed grief can make you physically or emotionally ill. Many losses are complicated with feelings of anger, guilt or the pain and confusion of unfinished business. Sometimes, when the loss is unexpected, shock can get in the way. Personal issues around ability or willingness to feel or show vulnerability can make it hard to grieve. I have many years of experience in offering safety and support to grieving clients.

When loved ones pass away, it can feel as though a part of ourselves dies with them. Loss is difficult because it reminds us of our own mortality and loneliness, leaving us with the void that is the role that this person once had in our lives. I assist the grieving process by helping you find closure in your relationship with the deceased so that you can move forward in a restored and fulfilling way.

You may be in the throws of it right now. Perhaps it is a death. Perhaps it is the end of a relationship. Perhaps it is a job or abandonment. There are many things that trigger our grief and loss. I carve out a sacred space that is just for YOU. You may need to cry. You may need to yell. You may need your pain to be seen. You may need to bargain or to blame yourself for a while. We can do this together while making sure you are on a path towards transformation. Having somebody that really listens and really gets it is the first step towards healing. If you are experiencing a deep grief or loss in your life, you owe it to yourself to go through this painful process supported.

I personally experienced a great deal of grief and loss in my 20's so feel I bring my own personal experience to helping others deal with this. Losing people we love is one of the hardest things we will face in our lives, and getting help and support can be invaluable. I will help you process your feelings, feel cared for and supported through the process, and guide you.

We know how to grieve, naturally, and there are times in every person's life that failing to grieve fully can cause significant emotional difficulties, which may seem unrelated. You can't completely grieve by yourself - you need someone to listen while you work out, and tell, the story of your loss. If we're isolated, or the people around us aren't able to listen, it's easy to get stuck in the sadness of the loss - or stuck running away from it, one way or another.

Each of us will experience grief and loss within our lives. Some losses can feel so huge that it can seem impossible to move on. I believe that each loss we experience can stir up emotions and feelings related to past losses. I provide a safe environment for you to explore your feelings of grief and loss. By making links between the past and the present and deeply listening and interpreting the possible origins of your grief we can open up the space needed for you to move forward.

Have you recently experienced a death, the loss of a partner, a friend or pet? Grief, anger and difficulty functioning are normal but very challenging responses to loss. Most people tell themselves they must reach closure, but this takes more time than most people realize. Don't isolate or just tell yourself to be strong- lets work it through together.

Have you recently lost a loved one? Or just went through a difficult break up? Whether it's a person or relationship, going through a loss hurts. You may be feeling angry, sad, confused, and want to numb the pain somehow. Counseling can help you sort through your emotions, and find more peace and acceptance as you go through this difficult time. You can start to make sense of the loss and return to feeling good and enjoying life. Give me a call to schedule an initial consultation.

Loss, whether sudden or not, is often one of life's most challenging experiences. Many people enter therapy with me grieving the loss of a family member, or the end of a relationship, or a difficult change in a work situation. The grief that can follow such losses has its own rhythm and timeline; as much as we would like to "get over" our pain, it is often our effort to do so that stunts our own healing. As a therapist, I have seen again and again that the more we can lovingly attend to our suffering, the more we are able to move through it, and grow as people in the process. I have helped many people find their way through the grief process to a place of healing and peace.

Experiencing the loss of a loved one, a job, your health, a home or country of origin, a pet or any number of other types of losses, can be very isolating, overwhelming and painful. Having a warm empathic space to process all the feelings that will arise is crucial to your getting through tough times and to your ongoing internal healing process. Together, we will gain deeper insight in to the experience of your loss(es) and develop life affirming ways to cope inside and outside the therapy room.

During times of loss - death, divorce, disability and profound life changes - we all need support and understanding to regain our strength and ability to carry on. It usually takes months, even years, to fully integrate our changed circumstances into our lives. My goal is to provide a supportive, empathic atmosphere to help you move through your pain and suffering and discover new direction and meaning for your future. Please visit KinseyLeaseCounseling.com for more.

Learning to feel and manage the variety of feelings that come up around death, loss, and endings is an integral part of life. I will support and guide you through this process. It can be very healing and renewing to consciously and creatively meet one's grief and loss. I will help you to reflect on and release the past, to open simply and directly to the loss, and to find peace and grounding in your deeper connection to the truth.

Having a safe caring environment to talk about your sorrow is the beginning of the healing process. Everyone goes through grief and loss in their own unique time and way. I can help you hold that pain as you explore and work through the many related emotions and issues that surface along with loss. You can get through this and begin to move toward living your life again without that dark cloud over you. You need not struggle through this alone. I can help you. Call for a consultation today and begin feeling better sooner rather than later.

Grief looks differently for different people. Grief needs its own time and can't be forced. Many contemporary cultures have forgotten their collective ways to face loss and to support grieving people through ritual and community. Therapy provides an ongoing compassionate relationship, a rock for you to return to again and again with your process. An ear that won't get tired of listening. Bringing presence to the grieving process allows healing and the rich rewards of a strong and open heart. You will feel joy and peacefulness again.

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.

When we lose someone we love, it feels like we have lost a part of ourselves. Something within us has been torn out, leaving a hole that we easily imagine will never heal. The pain can be profound, the feelings of helplessness, or regret, or guilt overwhelming. Having a partnership where you can talk through these feelings can make a huge difference not only in how quickly and how well you are able to move through the process of grieving, but also how you ultimately are able to frame the experience and your memories of the person lost into the narrative of your own self and life as you move forward. What you carry with you afterward is just as important as surviving the hurt of the loss.

At My True Temperament Christian Counseling, LLC, we help our client's through each of the five stages of grief by helping them find comfort in God's word and processing his/her emotions in healthy ways. With loving support, we journey with the client through denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. At MTT, we are mindful that everyone processes grief and loss differently and on different timetables.

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.

Experiencing a loss, whether is a death or a relationship, can be one of the most difficult and life changing events one might go through in life. Grief comes in waves and can be overwhelming. Having a safe place to go express this grief and experience it can be very healing. Understanding how you might experience the grieving and loss process can be helpful when it feels like it is consuming you. Therapy can be a start to working through some of the feelings, emotions and thoughts about your loss. I will be able to support you through this process.

"Why can't I seem to shake this grief & loss like other people can?" you ask yourself. Chances are you have other unresolved losses that are being triggered. When you come to me, I will do an assessment, identify the unresolved losses and use Lifespan Integration or EMDR to help you get relief. On average my clients see me 10-12 sessions and are able to function again.

Children express grief differently from adults and their grief can look different at various ages. For example an infant will experience the loss of a significant caregiver through his or her senses (father's cologne, mother's skin, nanny's voice). A school aged child may ask a lot of questions or not seem affected at all from the outside. While many children can be resilient, they are often the "forgotten mourners." Unresolved grief can lead to problems down the road.

Losing a loved one or relationship can feel overwhelming. Where our days used to be enriched by someone, we are only left with their memory. The process of grieving requires support, patience, and resilience. If you find it difficult to concentrate, find pleasure in most activities, or get out of bed in the morning then therapy may be an important ally in learning to live again with loss.

The experience of grief and loss, while expected at various life stages, can result in physical pain, and the emergence of symptoms that lead to experiencing a slow downward spiral in overall wellbeing, and perhaps desire to withdrawal from personal and professional commitments. Many clients seek compassionate and sensitive guidance to navigate through the ups and downs of any number of losses, ranging from diminishing health, to ending a relationship, or other life transition. Together, clients and I develop a transformative plan to stabilize, heal, gain insight and to enhance their proficiency to improve the strength needed to reconstitute their skills and hopes for today and the future.

More than 35 million Americans are living with some form of chronic mental or physical illness or disability. The vast majority depend upon their families for care. Caring for a family member who is ill can have a dramatic effect upon a family. Although it can provide opportunities for closeness, it can also be stressful. If you or someone you love is ill, you may need psychological support to continue to live life as optimally as possible. You may also need help in processing your grief, especially if your loved one has become debilitated or has died. Please call me to discuss your particular needs and how counseling can help. I can be reached at 415-533-9724.