Grief and Loss Counselling in Ottawa, ON.

Feelings of grief and loss are as unique as those experiencing them. Counselling support is similarly tailored to meet the unique needs and goals of the client. One may experience feelings of grief following the loss of a loved one, the loss of a relationship, the loss of a dream, or the loss of a career; while these situations can feel overwhelming, one does not have to move through this alone.

Clients who are faced with grief and loss go through a number of stages in the grieving process. Counselling at Elim help clients go through these stages in a normal and healthy way without spiralling into complicated grief or chronic depression. In addition counsellors at Elim are trained in understanding the spiritual crisis that people of faith often go through when dealing with grief and loss.

Grief brings the hardest combination of all feelings - despair, anger, fear and love. It can right leave us with unmanagable pain, feeling disoriented and questioning everything. Sometimes it feels too painful to step back into the world that dares to carry on as if nothing happened. Sometimes we need someone to remind us that it is a place we are passing through and not a destination. I offer gentle guidance and strong support through grief. I work with you find ways to make sense of you loss, learn to manage your feelings in new ways and find your way back into life again.

Grieving and Loss are life and living issues that are part of the normal challenges we face in our lifetime. The often irrational and overwhelming thoughts, feelings and behaviors associated with them can sometimes frighten and even paralyze us when they occur. In a supportive and empathic environment I help people demystify and understand these challenges and events so they can cope again.

Grieving is a necessary part of recovering from deep loss and making the transition to the next phase of life. However, for some people the loss is so overwhelming that the natural process gets stuck and they are unable to move through it. In these cases compassionate support can help you regain a sense of peace an wholeness. I use real, proven therapeutic tools that can help your heart to heal.

The pain of grief can truly be lessened by working with a counsellor. Talking about the loss and how it has affected you will help you feel the emotions, which helps them to pass through you. It is also helpful to have a professional inform you on what to expect when grieving, what types of symptoms are related to the grief, and specific approaches to comfort yourself.

Clients who have lost a loved one will be given the opportunity to pass through the stages of grief in a healthy way. While being supported in Psychotherapy Clients will have the chance to work through any difficult emotions they may be struggling with in relation to their loved ones death. Client will learn to honor the person they've lost while finding a way to accept that loss and continue to live a fulfilling life.

I work extensively with clients dealing with grief and loss. Co-existing with loss in our lives can feel like an overwhelmingly difficult task. Losses can profoundly affect not only our daily functioning, but also our relationships, our work life, and our health. Therapeutic work with clients focuses on acknowledging the impact of loss, exploring choices around how to live through the experience of loss, developing healthy ways to cope, and honoring that journey. I work creatively with clients to help them find their own personal ways of living that process.

Grief and loss is hard, it is difficult and we all experience it in many phases of our life span. There is no right or wrong in grieving or any length of time however, there is life and hope after! It is learning to accept the grief, feel it and then move on with either with professional help or your own path to moving forward with your life.

Grief counseling helps people cope with grief and mourning following the loss of a loved one or due to major life changes that trigger feelings of grief (i.e. job loss or divorce). It provides a space for individuals to work through and process the complex emotions surrounding loss. Healthy grieving results in remembering the loss with a newfound sense of peace, rather than searing pain.

Grief and Loss is a challenging area for many people because it is so unique to each person. I believe that the work centers around self-compassion where individuals learn to be kinder to themselves. Furthermore, I will collaborate with you to build an Activity Plan to ensure you continue to find purpose in your daily life. I will also teach you strategies that will help you improve your ability to focus on the present moment. Together we will find the best support plan to allow you to grieve while continuing to live a meaningful life!

Helping clients go through the stages of grief and loss by validating their experience and educating them on what these stages consist of and strategies to help them cope with the variety of emotions that they will be processing through this difficult time. Also helping clients recognize that grief and loss are a part of any type of loss that we may encounter, whether it be the loss of a relationship, loss of a job, loss of a loved one, etc.

Rather than drive our grief and loss underground or deep into our unconscious, therapy allows us to focus on the pain of our loss with all its multiple layers. Processing our thoughts with the spoken word rather than keeping them as mere mental reflections permits us to actively embrace our pain. We experience clarity and eventually direction to our grieving process. We can in time come to a place of sorrowful acceptance. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross gives us understanding of the grief and loss process in her Five Stages of Grief. However, it is important to note that these stages are not linear in their progression and are somewhat unique to each individual.