Grief and Loss Counselling in Wainfleet, ON.

Loss and grief are devastating. Sudden loss is a shock. Long, drawn-out loss is exhausting. Loss changes our expectations of daily life. It brings disbelief, despair, anger. Divorce, a wayward child, a job layoff, poor health – all disrupt our expectations of how our life should be. Then there is the pain of death's finality. To stop hurting can feel like a betrayal of the one we lost. The grief is terrible, but it is all we have of the loved one. We finally need to realize that we cannot go on living in constant pain. We need other ways to fill the emptiness, new routines, new roles, and new interactions. We need to redirect our energy. Counselling helps you to find the road ahead.

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.

In my approach to grief and loss therapy, I provide a compassionate and empathetic space where clients can explore and process their feelings of loss in a supportive environment. By utilizing a combination of narrative therapy, mindfulness techniques, and grief-specific interventions, I work collaboratively with clients to navigate the complex emotions and challenges associated with their grief journey. Through this process, clients gain insight into their grief reactions, develop coping strategies, and find meaning and healing amidst their loss. By honoring their unique experiences and fostering a sense of connection, clients can gradually integrate their loss into their lives, find hope for the future, and ultimately experience a renewed sense of purpose and resilience.

Losing a loved one can be one of life's most personally challening events. It can lead you to re-evaluate you won position in life. I will work with you to understand how to continue caring for yourself as you move through the process of grieving. When you are ready to, we can discuss any changes you might want to make in your lifestyle in response to your loss.

Grief and Loss can manifest in many areas of life and sometimes isn't initially recognized as grief. For example, having lost my father 5 years ago and being a family caregiver to my elderly mother, I have experienced this inevitable loss and the grief that comes with it. However, grief can also come with the loss of a dream, loss of a marriage, a career, a childhood home, a relationship/friendship or a life you always dreamed of having. Another example is women who are childless not by choice. Who perhaps haven't met the right person or who cannot conceive for medical reasons. And for some of us, being single not by choice can also be a deep source of loss and grief as we get older.

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.

When you lose someone or something precious to you, it’s natural to experience pain and grief. The process of grief and bereavement is normal, and most people go through it. But when grief takes over your life and makes you feel hopeless, worthless and helpless, then it becomes important to talk to a counsellor about telling the difference between normal grief and depression. The Family Enhancement Centre has several therapists who specialize in Grief and Bereavement counselling. Contact us today to know how we can help you.

Holding onto grief and loss alone can feel very lonely, exhausting and can feel like a rollercoaster at times. I create a space where together we be with any feelings that you may have, listen as long as these feelings needs and provide support with whatever step in the grieving process you are in. Grieving takes times and we will hold that space as long as it needs.

Most people will go through a period of loss in their lives. A response to any kind of loss is grief. Grieving over the loss of a loved one is known as bereavement. There is no right or wrong way to grieve. Some people are highly emotional and delve deeply into their emotions, while others are resistant and could look for ways to divert their attention from an unchangeable aspect of life. Each person has unique needs when coping with loss. Grief and loss counselling can help you to manage your emotions and help you heal.

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.

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.

Grief affects individuals at all levels, physically, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually. The circumstances behind grief can profoundly affect one’s life. Everyone has unique ways of coping with grief and loss. Mastora recognizes this and tailors specific strategies and techniques to suit a person’s unique circumstances. She aides the individual through normal grief to healthy resolutions and helps them move forward in their journey.

Contemporary approaches to coping with grief and loss have shown that the path of acceptance and healing is not linear, but a winding road and unique process for every individual. Psychotherapy can help you along your path by providing an outlet for those challenging emotions and providing you with tools to help you cope. With personal experience, I will lend a hand in helping you to cope and integrate the challenges presented by the loss of a loved one or a significant relationship as you find your new normal. Those we lose remain in our hearts, and by remembering them with gratitude we can begin to heal.

Grief and loss are universal experiences for all people and they are perhaps some of the most painful events experienced. So painful, in fact, that many people try to avoid the feelings at all costs. I believe that the only way to learn to live with grief is to be willing to experience the feelings and I provide a safe and supported relationship in which to work through these feelings.

I'll never forget the phone call. I was 23, driving home on a beautiful sunny day. I couldn't believe it when I heard my dad was gone. Grief floors you. If you haven't felt it, it's not something that you can fully understand. It can feel overwhelming, hopeless, never-ending. But there are ways forward. No matter how large your loss, you can do it. I've been there, and I've helped dozens of other people over the past seven years deal with the unthinkable. I provide compassionate, effective counselling for grief and loss based on what actually works in the real world. You're not alone - contact me today for a complimentary phone consultation. You can get through it. I can help.

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

As someone who has experienced loss and studied loss, I understand how unique and different everyone's experience with it is. Grief can be one of the most complex and complicated of human experiences and can occur with or without a tangible loss. Using a person centered and strengths based foundation, I will hold space with you and aid you in navigating these complex feelings at your own pace.