Grief and Loss Counselling in Aurora, ON.

Shyamala has an extremely sensitive and compassionate approach that allows individuals, couples and families to explore issues around grief and loss in a safe environment. In helping clients make sense of their experiences and emotions around loss, they are able to grieve in healthy ways. The process of grieving allows for fresh perspectives to emerge around how to move forward after losing someone or something of deep value.

At some point in life, everyone will experience grief and loss. Grief is a normal response to a final disconnection from something or someone important to us. While grief is a common human experience, we will all experience loss in very different ways. It may occur following the loss of a pet, job, relationship, or loved one. Together, we will explore your grief to develop an understanding of what your loss means to you, and how it has impacted you. Together, we will explore how you can effectively experience and express your grief in a way that makes sense for you - there are no rules or timelines when it comes to grief.

I have personally suffered a great loss in my life, as a result, I feel that I am uniquely qualified to work with clients who have also suffered similar tragedies. Textbook grief therapy is not enough. My experience has helped me formulate a deep understanding of the particular fears, sadness, and problems one faces while dealing with a profound loss.

If you are dealing with the loss of a loved one, whether it be from death, divorce, or other circumstances, you are on a very painful journey, one that takes some time to traverse and is not easy. It can be helpful to have someone like myself walk with you on that journey and honour your feelings of loss and sadness and, when you are ready, to help pick up the pieces and continue to live a productive and satisfying life. That does not mean you leave the past behind but that you find a way of integrating a new life with the old. Reaching out is a sign of courage and strength.

Have you found yourself in deep sadness from a recent loss or that may be many years old and perhaps you are only recently recognizing? People were designed to reach out to someone when they are grieving and have had a loss. Unfortunately in our modern world, we are expected to be brief about our losses, to shrug them off and move on. You don't have to suffer alone. I will support you to more fully allow yourself to experience this loss and sadness in safety so that you can truly process the pain. Please contact me for help.

Hilary has supported individuals with loss of pregnancy to loss of relationship or a loved one to loss due to a health event. Hilary has supported individuals throughout the life span. Hilary understands that grief takes on different shapes and styles and walks clients through the stages of grief on their own paths, acknowledging it is deeply their own path.

With Gestalt therapy the five tasks of mourning, are supported: (1) To accept the reality of the loss, (2) To experience the pain of grief, (3) To adjust to the environment in which the deceased is missing, (4) To withdraw (some) emotional energy and reinvest it in another relationship, and (5) To find a place for and maintain a continuing bond with what we lose, however not in any specific order. A gestalt therapist supports the bereaved with an emphasis on a "loving authentic presence and communication that allows expression of EACH other’s personhood" so that feelings are honored and explored at the clients own pace. The here and now is emphasized and that is what leads to support/change

Grief and loss are often associated with death. However, we experience grief and loss in our daily lives, whether we lose a job, a relationship, a friend, a house, etc. Learning to cope with the grief and loss in our lives is important to living a healthy life. Grief and loss are not linear processes. You may experience stage 5 one day and stage 2 the following – and that’s okay. At the Reflection Centre, our team of trained professionals are here to help support you through the stages of grief and assist you in coping with the losses in your life.

Processing loss is painful, confusing and often isolating. This is not something that is as simple as progressing through "stages" in order and typically involves emotions that we have been taught to avoid or suppress. Working with a therapist to unpack and go through grief and loss can offer some space and perspective that is not there when we talk with friends and family. Here you can have a non-judgmental space to take the time to work this out in the way that you need. This is not always easy, but we can navigate this together.

The experience of loss may result from many life experiences including the passing of a human loved one or a beloved pet, the ending of a relationship, job loss, or changes to our physical or mental capabilities. Grief is one of the most challenging of human emotions. Together, we will navigate your unique grieving process to enable you to experience growth and empower you to create a life you can accept and enjoy despite your loss.