Grief and Loss Counselling in St Jacobs, ON.

Hope Centered Counselling understands first hand the pain associated with losing someone, losing a fur baby, and the loss when something changes in your life. A relationship changing, a change in career, or moving somewhere new can come with significant losses. We get it, and we want to help you walk through the experience, and hold space for the hard parts.

There are many kinds of loss. Loss of a loved one, loss of job, loss of mobility, financial loss and so many other types of losses. There are many stages to loss and some losses are more difficult than others. During your loss you may experience grief and everyone manages this in their own personal way. At Hearts Transformed counselling we help you every step of the way.

Navigating grief and loss is a challenging journey. As a therapist who has experienced loss firsthand, I offer compassionate counseling to help you find healing. With empathy and understanding, we'll explore your feelings and memories, honoring your unique path. Together, we'll navigate the pain, integrate loss into your life story, and rediscover hope. You're not alone in this journey. Reach out today to begin your healing process.

In my work with clients, I recognize that most therapy eventually touches on some form of grief—whether from loss, change, or unmet hopes. I offer a compassionate and grounded space to explore these experiences at a pace that feels right. Rather than rushing toward resolution, I help clients stay present with what has been lost and discover what remains meaningful. Through gentle exploration and attuned support, I aim to help individuals integrate their grief, honour their connections, and move toward a renewed sense of continuity and possibility.

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.

Loss has many faces, coming from many different places. Even small losses can add up and sneak up on us, leaving us empty. While loss is a common part of life, we are not always given the tools or the opportunity to do the emotional work to complete the natural process of grief so we can be free to move on. In our work together, we will explore what is keeping you stuck, and identify the resources you need to move on, while honoring your loss. I can be your companion and share many tools with you on this often lonely journey. As a certified EMDR therapist, I can also help you more easily navigate the hardest parts of the journey using the resources of your own mind.

In my practice you will find a safe place to talk about and work through pain, and the feelings of sadness, confusion, guilt, shame and anger that often accompany the experience of grief and loss. Moving through grief and loss is your personal journey that takes time and is experienced uniquely from your own perspective. I provide therapy, counselling and and support for people who have lost a loved one such as a family member, friend or colleague whether through death or the ending of a relationship, those who have lost an important pet or animal companion or people who have experienced a loss that includes a loss of a job or personal identity.

As a compassionate and grounded counsellor, I help clients navigate grief and loss with clarity, warmth, and accountability. My approach is especially helpful for those who feel stuck in mental loops—whether it’s guilt, “what if” thinking, or the pressure to hold it all together. I don’t believe in quick fixes or toxic positivity. Instead, I offer a space where you can be honest about your pain, explore what healing looks like for you, and build a life that feels more aligned and sustainable. Online booking is available—let’s get you unstuck and moving forward.

Your experiences of grief and loss are unique. Therapy can provide a safe space to learn about grief and what to expect during this process. It may be helpful to explore some of the emotions you are experiencing, while understanding how to stay connected to others and develop a new relationship to and understanding of the loss you have endured. Book a free consultation to explore if we are a good fit.

Grief and loss can be described as a roller coaster ride. When we are giving we experience so many emotions such as sadness, depression, anger, confusion and more. Working through grief is hard work and it's important to be reminded that this is normal. Helpful coping strategies and identifying self care strategies is a focus of grief therapy I do.

Grief and loss can come in many forms; whether it’s the loss of a loved one, loss of identity or loss of what you thought your life would look like, I support clients in navigating their grief. I help clients validate their loss, identify what their loss means to them and process their feelings that can feel consuming. Grief never fully leaves, however, I work with clients to hold their grief in a way that allows them to honor their loss as they continue through life. Clients are able to create space to memorialize their loss while continuing to foster their relationships, work towards their goals and live a life of happiness.

I provide a safe space for clients who are working through grief and loss to express their emotions and memories. Through the use of narrative therapy, clients are empowered to share their stories and process their emotions. Coping strategies are also taught to support clients with managing their daily lives while grieving. Clients benefit by exploring the meaning of their loss and its impacts to their identity, growing in resilience, and gradually moving toward acceptance and healing.

We provide a safe place for grieving people to be heard and process the loss they are coping with. Whether that is the loss of a loved one, a job, or a life transition, having someone to grieve with is an crucial part of the grief journey. Our therapists listen with compassion and provide the supportive care needed. We also provide children and youth with creative approaches that help them communicate and process what may be difficult for them to fully verbalize.

Grief is the emotional suffering we feel when we lose something or someone important to us. This can include the loss of friend, partner, or family member, a change in life circumstances, death of a pet, getting fired, loss of health, safety, a dream... anything that we once had and now do not. The intensity and process can be unique for each person, but like all other emotions that impact the quality of our life, ignoring it or suppressing it does not work. Seeking support as we move through the various stages of grief is very helpful. Planning for our healing is crucial so that we do not become 'stuck' in the pain. A skilled therapist can assist us during this vulnerable time.

I believe there are many forms of grief and loss. We may be grieving the loss of a loved one, our dream of what home is, grief of the pain of the planet, ecosystems and species, loss of an inner sense of balance. One activity I love to share with people who are grieving is to be present with a river. I invite them to pay attention as the water flows downstream and to tune into what they are letting go of. Then I invite them to notice how there is water flowing toward them and ask what newness might be emerging within? Often people are surprised to discover that our loss is creating space for something new to arise.

Whether through a death or a break up, loss and the grieving process is extremely difficult. I’m sure you’ve heard of the stages of grieving (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance). But, they don’t always go in that order, and they often jump around in your time line. Your grieving process has no time limits, and every journey is unique. I will walk with you through that, at your pace. No matter which stage of grieving you’re in, reach out to schedule a free 15-minute consultation to see if we are a good fit.

Disruption and change (personal or professional, expected or unexpected) can cause considerable psychological and emotional pain for many. Being able to successfully adapt to or handle change is a big part of life. Many us struggle with change because it creates a sense of loss. Many men going through life changes do not allow themselves the opportunity to feel emotions like sadness or grief - a natural part of processing change and loss. I help men to better cope with life's disruptions, increase their ability to process change and strengthen their resilience so they can successfully adapt to life's challenges and find happiness and joy again.

In the wake of death, divorce, or tragedy, it is normal to feel lost, cut adrift, and out-of-control. Grief therapy is a safe place to become grounded, where you can process your emotions without fear of being judged or shut down. While your friends and family might want you to move on fast - there are no "shoulds" or "musts" here. In our sessions, we'll work on processing grief on your own terms, in a way that honours you and the relationship you had with the person you lost. We'll work to help you get your bearings and - in time - to return back to life after your loss.

Grief and loss are significant life experiences that can be difficult to manage. I have heard from many that sometimes it seems like the extreme sadness will not leave them. I work with such clients to try and make space in their life to experience positive emotions along with the sadness. Grief is very individual and some clients desire help to "move past the grief", while others do not agree with this. I work to meet clients where they are, to optimize their day to day life experiences according to their own individual hopes. In addition, I help clients to find meaning in their experience of grief and loss, honour the life of their lost loved one, and manage the related difficult emotions.

Loss in life is inevitable. However, that doesn't make it less painful. And, while grief is a result of loss due to death, there are many kinds of loss including job loss, relationship loss, health loss; the list goes on and on. Whatever the cause, it can be painfill and if not properly grieved and mourned it can be become 'unresolved grief. Sherry provides a safe place to process the grief and becomes a companion to her client as they do so, whatever it may be.

Grief and loss can feel overwhelming, touching every part of life and leaving people unsure of how to move forward. In my approach, I create a compassionate, supportive space where clients can express their feelings openly, without judgment. Together, we explore the unique ways grief shows up, whether through sadness, anger, guilt, or even numbness, and find meaningful ways to cope and heal. Using approaches like person-centered therapy, mindfulness, and narrative techniques, I support clients in honoring their loss, making sense of their emotions, and gradually rebuilding a sense of hope and connection in their lives.

Many people have ideas about how grief should look or feel based on expectations from family, society, or the media. There are so many experiences and events that deserve be mourned, whether society recognizes them or not, and your feelings about the loss are valid. Your experience of grief is unique to you and there is no correct way to process your loss, which is why I work collaboratively with clients to explore meaning in the thoughts and feelings that emerge as you begin your healing journey. Book a free consultation to learn more about my approach and explore if we are a good fit.

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 can be a very challenging season of life, and having someone that not only understands from a professional perspective, but also a personal perspective enables you to heal and grow from your own experience. My warm personality, professional education and understanding of what you are going through, provides you with the space to grieve and move through the challenges you are experiencing at this time.

Grief is a complex experience that may be accompanied by a diversity of difficult emotions that are challenging to work around. However, you are not alone. Each of us have a unique relationship with grief, and I am here to support you in discovering what that relationship looks like for you. You don’t have to know where to start or where you are going in your pathway to healing. There is no correct way to grieve. Contact me to book a free consultation to see if we would be a good fit.