Grief and Loss Counseling in Long Beach, NY.

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.

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.

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.

Often clients reach out to a psychotherapist when there is a death or separation in a relationship. Chris provides Grief and Loss counseling and Psychotherapy where empathy and caring help clients get emotional closure to help them move forward. A sudden death and loss can causes a person to have increased anxiety and depression and limit functioning. Chris has worked with numerous clients to heal and move forward through effective counseling and psychotherapy in New York. Clients benefit from talking out their feelings where I help them get closure and provide the skills to move on and enjoy life again.

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.

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.

Grief and loss inevitably leads to anger & sadness. Not surprisingly, it also can lead to depression and feelings of guilt. The latter is called irrational guilt, as most of us lack magical powers to cure dying people. Even if they mean the world to us. I would encourage my clients to express feeling of guilt and anger often unconscious related to the loss. The anger is often at the person who died. Of course, this is irrational anger in most cases, as we all are going to die. The anger is over losing someone we love, value. I would use clinical interventions that usher in the grieving process. This fosters coming to terms with and an acceptance of the loss.

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.

Grief is about loss and the threat of loss. The stronger the bond between us and the person we have lost, the more we will hurt both physically and emotionally. When we are torn from a family member or friend, a part of us dies as well. Our natural need for attachment gets severed, often bringing the return of childhood fears. The world feels like a more dangerous place. As a result, we may feel out of control. We ache to have the loved person back. We know in the rational part of our minds that the person is not coming back, but it also seems impossible to let him go. We will remain emotionally conflicted until we can release our loved ones. Because letting go is so difficult, we must do it slow....