Grief and Loss Counselling in Ottawa, ON.

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.

We all grieve differently; there is no right or wrong way to grieve. It is a uniquely personal experience. My therapeutic approach is to meet my clients where they are and address their current needs. That may be sitting in a safe space and expressing your emotions, talking about how life will be different after the loss or focusing on self-care. I will provide guidance, validation, and support but this journey is yours so I will check in with you regularly to ensure that your needs are being met. Please contact me if you would like to book a free consultation.

Over the course of our lives, we experience various losses and we grieve in many different ways. It can be difficult to know how to begin working through grief and you do not have to be alone in this process. I believe that grieving is a journey and I welcome the opportunity to support you in your path to healing. Within therapy, we can explore some of the emotions you are experiencing, unpack expectations about what grieving looks like, discuss possibilities for connection with what’s most important within your life, and consider possible ways to honour the loss(es) you have experienced. Contact me or book a free consultation if you wish to learn more.

As loss may be best described as the absence of something valuable, grief is the reaction to this absence. It permeates every area of our lives. The way we experience grief is personal and changes as we adapt to the loss. Feelings of guilt, disbelief, anger, yearning, and sorrow are often present. Going through the stages of grief is difficult. Together, we will explore the healing journey ensuring you are self-companionate while honouring the one’s you have lost and to explore and understand your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours that are integrated into your bereavement process. Schedule a free consultation to see if we are a good fit.

Clients experiencing grief and loss can often benefit from a supportive therapeutic process. It can allow a space to explore feelings without having to take care of anyone else-it is just for them. Clients can also explore blocks or complications to grieving that might be contributing to their struggle, for instance older traumas, difficulty with feeling or expressing their emotions.

Grief, loss, and bereavement, whether it is the passing of a loved one, the end of a career, or the falling-apart of a relationship are all similar: we are losing or have lost an important part of our lives. Understanding the emotions, feelings, and behaviours we have when we experience grief and bereavement is part of helping us accept what has occurred, why we feel the way that we are feeling, and what is next for us. In working with clients on grief, loss, and bereavement it is important to understand that the way we process these experiences is unique to each person, and the pillar of respect is paramount.

Grief can be anticipatory or unexpected, and even when we believe we are prepared, loss can deeply impact our emotional, physical, and relational well-being. Whether you are mourning the end of a relationship, the death of a loved one, or the loss of a pet, grief can surface in many ways and at unexpected times. Through psychotherapy, I provide a supportive space to process your emotions, explore the meaning of your loss, and develop healthy ways to honour what you are grieving. Together, we work toward restoring balance, resilience, and a sense of connection in your life.

In grief therapy, I provide a compassionate and safe space for you to work through the pain of loss. Whether you’re grieving the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, or another major life change, I help you express your emotions and understand what you’re going through. Together, we explore healthy ways to cope, find comfort, and gradually move toward healing while still honoring your loss.

Grief is a complicated experience that leaves many feeling alone even in a room full of people. I work through the various stages of grief with you to process your emotions. Grief is like a heavy backpack you can't put down. I will support you in managing the overwhelm and exhaustion you feel as you return to daily tasks. Let's connect to get you back to feeling like yourself.

Being alive means experiencing inevitable loss, which is normally followed by grief and recovery. The loss can be the loss of a person, image, ideal, or even a hope. However, the grief and recovery can sometimes be complicated. Every person follows a unique pattern of grief processing. The key for a healthy recovery lies in understanding this pattern in a supported environment. The therapy is about helping the client to get to this insight. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to see if we are a good fit.

Grief and loss are complex emotions that at times can feel as though one is on an emotional rollercoaster. It can result in being angry, sad, resentful, relieved, and tired. An important aspect of grief is social support and self-care. Through counselling, it becomes about not getting rid of the emotion of grief and loss but rather living with them and accepting what life now looks like with friend.

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.

Whether you're grieving a loved one, a role, or a version of yourself, grief changes you—but you don’t have to navigate it alone. Loss can leave us feeling torn between memories, guilt, relief, or even numbness. With empathy shaped by many years of accompanying individuals and families through change, I offer a nurturing, non-judgmental space to honour every part of your experience. My goal is to help you find meaning in the midst of sorrow, cultivate resilience, and rediscover moments of peace, gently untangling emotions with practical tools from CBT, ACT, and mindfulness. Together, we make space for what was, tend gently to what is, and build meaning for what comes next.

Grief can be deeply disorienting, changing how you see yourself and the world around you. My approach focuses on creating space for understanding and integrating your loss, rather than trying to “move on.” Together, we’ll make sense of the shifts that come with grief, explore what this loss means for you, and begin rebuilding a sense of stability, connection, and meaning as you move forward in your own way.

Grey Matters International and the work of Kevin J. Fleming, Ph.D approaches issues of grief & loss through the lens of innovation----instead of growing the same neural networks responsible for the pain in weekly therapy sessions, we reset the brain to move forward quicker and efficiently by working on the stuck limbic system so as to empower the person with more success and traction. For no one wants to stay in a grief mode for too long; but when you don’t include the brain in your work with someone, you risk describing the water to them while they drown and calling it success. Contact Grey Matters International, Inc now at kevin@kevinflemingphd.com or 877-606-6161.

My training with the complex facets of bereavement counselling is from McGill's School of Social Work. There, I learned the importance of validating a person's feelings and varying reactions in a non-judgemental way. My focus is to provide a caring, empathic response to encourage emotional healing. My theoretical framework is largely based on the work of Therese A. Rando's 6 stages: 1- Recognize loss, 2- React to loss, 3-Recollect and Re-Experience the lost relationship, 4-Relinquish and start a process of accomodation to the loss (not necessarily of accepting it) by working on 5- Readjust and 6- Reinvesting in life. I also use the Grief Recovery Handbook by James & Friedman.

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.

It's easy to feel stuck, feeling too little, feeling too much. We can work together through your grief, no matter how complex to find a way to move forward. I've seen loss, it's never easy, and there isn't a lot of room to talk through some of the darker sides of it with friends and family. So many of us don't want to be a burden or are ashamed of our own feelings.

In today's society, we are expected to "suck it up and move on" in situations related to loss. However, grief has a mind of its own. It shows up when we least expect it and can linger a lot longer than we want. It comes back again and again, even when we thought we've dealt with it. . Time does heal, and therapy can help. Whether you have lost a loved one through death or a relationship ending, have gone through a difficult life transition or are grieving the loss of something else important to you, we'll help you heal grief in a supportive, non-judgmental & compassionate space. We're here when you're ready! www.kaleidoscopecounsellingco.com

Losing a loved one is one of the most painful experiences we can have in life. There is grief at the loss when it happens, and also anticipatory grief, which starts the minute one learns about a change that will lead to the likelihood of loss. Loss and related grieving can also happen with respect to a change in your role, relationships, a job, or the way that you were living your life. I operate on the approach that you need a compassionate witness and an emotionally safe space to express, process and honour your feelings, and what or who you hold dear, on this sacred, deeper journey towards acceptance.