Grief and Loss Counselling in Trenton, ON.

Grief and loss are viewed as inescapable features of normal human experience. Clients can expect a supportive approach which invites narration, catharsis, encourages creative commemorative rituals and molding new traditions, with a view to extracting the grains of wisdom and lessons for living that can be buried, yet found around a loss. Traumatic loss can be more complicated and clients may be helped by a process similar to the one outlined above, but including trauma re-processing techniques to help them shrink and cope with the worst, stickiest memories and distress of an extreme experience of loss. "Sometimes the only cure for grief, is grieving." Dana Reeve

The people who have touched our lives, family members, and special friends (pets) we love are important to us. When anything risks those we love, we also feel distressed. Our deep connection to them means we experience this incredible emptiness when they die. Though we know that death is normal, natural, and inevitable, this knowledge does not eliminate the emotional pain of our loss. Through my losses and the losses of others, I have learned that life is over, but it is never finished. If you are experiencing a recent loss of a family member, friend, or special friend, I am available to journey with you through this loss. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to see if we are a good fit.

Grief can occur in many shapes and forms. Perhaps you have just experienced the loss of a loved one, the ending of an important relationship, or a change in the life you had once envisioned for yourself. You may be experiencing sadness, anger, confusion, happiness, or it may be too early to know exactly just how you feel. Identifying and processing these emotions can be a helpful first step in navigating this loss and beginning your healing journey. Connect with me today for a free consultation today to see if we are a good fit.

In work with grief and loss, I offer a compassionate and steady space where clients can process emotions at their own pace without pressure to “move on” quickly. Grief can feel complex, layered, and sometimes isolating, and therapy provides room to explore both the pain of loss and the meaning held within it. Clients often benefit from increased emotional expression, reduced isolation, and a gradual integration of loss into their ongoing life story. Together, we focus on honouring what has been lost while supporting continued connection to life and identity.

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

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.