Grief and Loss Counseling in Upper Montclair, NJ.

People experiencing grief and loss are often invaded by mixed emotions and thoughts, including sadness, guilt, anger, feeling frozen or ambivalent, to mention some. Difficult but essential, is to make sense of the situation and find hope. I help clients understand that what has happened might not be altered, but that they can use their own powers and that of their support systems to master the present moment.

Grief and loss are certainly very difficult to deal with, but sooner or later, it comes to all of us. I meet my clients right where they are in the process of their grieving, and sit with them in that space. I help people to walk through the feelings and stay with them through the process. I create a safe space where clients can be with all the emotions they are experiencing. I am very patient as individuals walk through their grief at their own pace.

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.

The loss of an important person, can be a terrible shock. I help you with moving through the process of grieving, including issues of survivor guilt, anxiety and depression that may arise after a loss, whether it be loss of a person, job, or pet. When grief feels overwhelming, I can provide the support needed to find meaning in the past, and hope for the future.

The way that a person has learned to protect themself self from a traumatic event develops into a part of their character in adult life. Our clinicians are trained to help you understand all of your parts and show you that the scary experience is over. We help you truly feel that you got through it and you can protect yourself if you need to! With this approach, we invite the wise parts of you to care deeply for the parts of you who are hurting. You have the power to regain control over your life, move forward, and heal.

If you have lost someone close to you through death, relocation or the end of a relationship, and feel isolated and lonely, it takes time and support to gently move forward in life. If you are shy or feel anxiety in social situations it can be hard to reach out for help and create the supportive relationships you need. I can help you move forward, gain a new sense of self worth, and begin to create meaningful nurturing social connections.

When I very young I lost my fiancée. I went about life as if nothing had happened until it caught up to me. I was trying to open a door with a key and it wouldn't work. I found myself crying and felt out of control. This happened because I didn't want to grieve. What I learned is you can't skip this process. It will catch up to you at the strangest times. I can walk you through this without bottoming out. Ignoring it and avoiding it doesn't work

Grief and loss can be triggered by many things; the death of a loved one, the loss of a beloved mate, being let go at a valued job, and many others. When we cannot get over the loss by ourselves, a therapist point us down new roads. Suddenly vistas of possibility begin to open up, and what once seemed hopelessly sad begins to take on its proper importance.

All of us experience grief and loss in our lives. There is no escaping it. Unfortunately, there are many times that you will experience a loss that society does not sanction as "grief worthy." Loss of an early pregnancy, miscarriage, loss of a valued career or relationship, and the loss of a beloved pet often hit us hard, and result in feelings of grief. I listen with empathy and concern, and will assist you through the grieving process with sensitivity and support, while offering you effective ways of coping with your feelings.

Loss can come in so many different forms, yet the pain is there and is strong. When we hold someone or something dear to our heart and then they suddenly gone, we are often left with a hole in our heart and need to grieve that loss. Grief looks different for each person. There are 5 main stages of grief that most people will go through in an order: Denial and Isolation, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. These are hard stages to walk through alone. Reach out and call one of our compassionate therapists at Mars and Venus Counseling Center who can help you to talk through each of the emotions that you experience at each stage.

If it is a past loss we will talk about that relationship and what it meant to you, and see how that person affected you in your current life and what he/she meant to you. If it is a current or impending loss, we can focus on day-to-day issues to lessen anxiety, and process how to handle what time is left. Practical issues may be discussed. if you find yourself obsessing we will probably focus on feeling, if you find yourself lost in feeling, we may focus on verbalizing your thoughts and your feelings. If you are overwhelmed by depression and find it difficult to function, I will make recommendations for medications and/or alternative strategies.

Everyone grieves differently which means that coping with loss looks differently and varies from person to person. At Transformation Counseling Services our therapists are specially trained to help you move through the stages of grief and work through your loss. If you are experiencing grief related symptoms we are here to help. Please contact us for a free consultation.

Grief and Loss Therapy will include: Utilizing tools to help navigate the emotional and psychological stress following a significant loss. Approach will be at individual's pace allowing for healing to begin. Experiencing a loss can be traumatic but together we will find a way to create a sense of peace. Using evidenced based practices will take place in sessions.