Grief and Loss Counseling in Elmsford, NY.

Loss is an inevitable part of life, through the loss of a loved one, the loss of health, or the letting go of a long-held dream. The grief that follows is a natural part of the healing process, but it is difficult and painful. For many, the pain of grief can be overwhelming and there seems to be no end in sight. I help clients understand and accept where they are, to develop ways of coping, and to build a new path forward.

I teach my clients about the stages of grief. This often which helps to normalize what they are experiencing. It can be so overwhelming and isolating to lose someone you love. I give clients a safe place to explore all of their emotions around their loss. I work to help clients feeling grounded again and take the steps necessary to find a new normal.

Personal loss such as a loved one or due to trauma needs to be mourned in order to move on in one's life. This difficult process requires a 'witness' to the emotional loss. Psychoanalysis serves the function of enabling a person to speak about the loss. It enables an individual to remember in a way that enhances the individual survivor.

People may experience many common symptoms related to grief and loss after losing a loved-one. Patients may also pass through stages of denial, anger and depression. Therapy can help an individual process these feelings and navigate these stages. A main goal when working with grief and loss may be to reach the period of acceptance (the time of closure). Talk therapy with a professional can be a very healthy approach to dealing with loss.

Whether we endure loss due to changes in life roles, the end of a relationship or the death of a loved one, grief impacts all aspects of our being. The process of grief is one of reconstructing the meaning of our lives and relationships. We heal by taking time to focus on our loss, sharing our pain with someone we trust, and attending to the meaning of our loss in the present moment. I will walk with you, bear witness to your struggle and help you move through the debilitating maze of grief. When you allow yourself to grieve fully, the experience of loss has the power to bring you into deeper connection with yourself and feel the beauty, mystery and and meaning of life in a new way.

We all experience grief & loss from time to time. However, there are some losses that are simply too big to get through in the usual ways. At times like this we need additional support. Successful grieving entails coming to terms with the enormity of the loss and making tough decisions about how to meaningfully proceed with living in a world that no longer feels the same.

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.

Elements from different psychotherapy modalities will most effectively address matters of loss, depression and role change related to loss of a loved one, unresolved or traumatic grief, loss of the individual's youth, opportunities, or functional abilities. I target associated somatic distress, guilt, thoughts of the deceased, irritation and anger, lack of motivation, identification phenomena. The goal is for you to assimilate the reality and meaning of death so that while not forgetting the person you lost, not relinquishing associated sadness, still missing your loved one, you may once again engage in pleasurable and satisfying relationships and activities.

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.

When a "loss" occurs in life sometimes it is difficult to know where to turn. Friends and family although they may be well meaning are often unable to say the right words or do the right thing to comfort you. Perhaps you feel you will never get over this feeling - the hole in your heart that has been created by this loss. Although you may not have thought of entering counseling for this type of reason, it is in fact one of the most common reasons people seek help. Loss is traumatic and can really derail you in achieving your goals or feeling like yourself again. Although you may not think it possible, I can help you heal and get back on track.

We will work together to remember your loss and to move forward in life. You will be able to identify what the loss means to you and if that is causing you to remain stuck in the grieving process. I will help you use that meaning to start a healing journey. You will learn to take advantage of community resources and I will help support you through a difficult range of emotions. You will learn the interaction of your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors during the grieving process.

Dr. Joel Stukalin and Dr. Sara Mandelbaum have guided many clients like you through their grieving processes. Since each client is special and unique, we work with the utmost sensitivity to help you during this emotional period so often filled with many memories and feelings. Some clients also experience unfinished emotional business with the deceased, which we work through with substantial empathic understanding and patience. This sensitive collaboration with Dr. Joel and Dr. Sara is invaluable in supporting grieving clients to achieve a sense of therapeutic closure and relief. Clients have stated that doing this necessary grief work with Dr. Joel and Dr. Sara has restored their lives.

The pain you experience after losing a loved one is an intense human experience that could make you feel abandoned, hopeless, and incapable of moving forward in life. In addition, sometimes there is grief connected to losing something: a job, an opportunity, a past that will not come back, a country you left behind. I can offer an empathic ear and listening to you as you ponder important questions at this point in your life: What does your grief say? What are the fears that accompany your grief and loss? Is there a way to move forward in life knowing that the present and future will be different because someone or something won't be there with you?