Grief and Loss Counselling in Ottawa, ON.

Many of my clients have a very difficult time assimilating a deep loss in their lives especially when they have lost a dearly beloved family member. At the time of their loss they require immense support and a "listening" ear". They often fear that they will never recover. What I offer them is some hope for their future and I suggest some techniques to them of how to "take the long view." I also assist them in finding relevant resources in their local community that can support them through the following months and years. I remind them that the last thing that their departed loved one would want is for them to lose their motivation and zest. I empower them to go on fully living.

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.

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 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!

The Grief and Loss Service (GLS) at the Centre for Interpersonal Relationships (CFIR) offers clients counselling and psychotherapy to support them to address past and present grief and loss. Unprocessed grief and loss can affect our emotional well-being, our functioning in everyday life and our interpersonal relationships. We help you to understand the meanings of your losses, and to process the unresolved or complicated emotional residue from these losses. We support you throughout your grieving process so that you may move forward with your life with a renewed sense of meaning, purpose and hope. CFIR psychologists and clinicians employ psychodynamic and experiential approaches to support

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.

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.

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.

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.

The death of a loved one, or any other great loss, is possibly the most stressful event anyone experiences. Grief is the normal, healthy response to this loss. It is important to allow yourself the time and space to fully grieve the loss. There is no “right” or “wrong” way to grieve – it is a very personal healing process of adjusting and coming to terms with the loss. In therapy, I accompany you on this painful journey and help you to understand and make sense of the overwhelming emotions that affect your mind, body and spirit. I offer support as we create a special place in your heart and mind for your memories.

I have worked extensively with the medically ill including Cancer patients. To adjust to a chronic illness is to grieve the loss of the healthy self and all that entails; to grieve the loss of a relationship; our work; anything of importance to us is to face pain of loss and move through it's tasks. I work in various models including relational, experiential, psycho-dynamic and Attachment based models to provide a safe, empathic environment for my clients to grow in.

Grief can be a clinical issue as: 1) Immediate and profound loss-death of a loved one – including either a sudden and unexpected or drawn-out and exhausting loss or 2) Unresolved grief – often unacknowledged as well - to whatever degree- of losses as described in (1) or can reflect more nuanced emotional losses – loss of safety, hope, joy, etc. Human life is full of loss and in the face of this undeniable fact, the challenge for the therapist lies in assisting and challenging the grieving client, to find, from within themselves, meaning, as related to such a profound and overwhelming loss.

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.