Grief and Loss Counseling in Oakbrook Terrace, IL.

Lose can be painful. Losing someone or something you love or care deeply about never arrives in our lives at a good time. During our periods of loss we may experience all kinds of difficult emotions and it may feel like the pain and sadness each of us experience may never end. Anger, anxiety or depression may be overwhelming. These reactions to a significant loss are normal. As your counselor, we will journey with you during this time of grief. We will not tell you the right or wrong way to grieve, but we can guide you with healthy ways to cope with the pain that, in time, can renew you and permit you to move on. Rather than tolerating your loss we will assist you in accepting the loss. As you k....

Grief can come from a death of a loved one, a relationship breakup, losing a job, health changes, pet loss, and many other areas. Losing someone or something you love is a very painful experience. I will help guide you through your grieving in a supportive and understanding way. Grief counseling can help you find your motivation again, improve your sleep, manage any guilt, and learn ways to deal with regret.

There are multiple forms of loss, ranging from lost friendship to to the loss of a loved one, which could be a pet or a person. I would encourage open communication about feelings and strongly believe that an individual's feelings should not be judged or criticized. I would also encourage the individual to allow sufficient time to recover from their loss; there is no "right" amount of time to process a loss.

The key areas of grief and loss is learning to create what is known as a "new normal". This new normal can be created after a death, loss of job or even the loss of a relationship like divorce. Being able to understand the grief steps and what to expect brings hope to individuals and families who may have just had what they once new as normal completely change sometimes overnight.

Relying on personal (death of spouse/other family members/close friends) as well as professional training and experience, Grief Therapy is one of my specialties, including therapy for those affected by a loved one's suicide. Your grief journey is unique, and each loss is different. Therapy can help you to successfully navigate your way through the grief process and to learn that much of what you feel is a normal, natural part of the painful and often difficult grief process.

I like to help the person work through grief and loss by helping them connect with their sorrow and bring loving closure to those relationships. This may include role playing and also narrative writing allowing them to express their feelings, memories, regrets, etc. Often we may create an experience where they can say goodbye and begin to let go and move on.

I work with those experiencing grief and loss, and provide a safe, empathic, and understanding environment for you to have the space to process this tragedy. I am here to listen to you, support you, help process the chaos of this experience, and provide any guidance if necessary and when appropriate. I have experience helping those who have lost loved ones, are going through a traumatic loss, and/ or are experiencing complicated grief. I am here to support you on your journey to healing and putting the pieces back together.