Grief and Loss Counseling in Spring Grove, PA.

When we think of grief and the grieving process, we think of losing someone that we love. While this is true, there are many things we can grieve; a broken relationship, job loss, loss of a pet, lost opportunities, loss of familiar environment or things, etc. Basically, if you value it and lose it, you will grieve it. While there is no "right" way to grieve, I can serve as your supportive guide assisting you through the grief process, helping you navigate the complex thoughts and feelings that accompany significant loss. Our goal is to reach a level of acceptance and resiliency that best serves you.

People who are expereincing grief and loss often feel overwhelmed with a variety of unpleasant feelings such as anger, quilt, sadness and shock. Adjusting to the loss can be very difficult and painful. There is no one way to do that. Grief and loss requires coping strategies that therapy can help you find. Therapy can help you find navigate the emotional challenges that come with grief and loss.

Grief and loss comes in many different packages: losing an elderly parent, a dear friend, and worst of all, a child. Another extreme form of grief and loss although not as readily identified in this category is the loss an adopted child suffers when being relinquished by his/her biological family. I have worked with many adopted children and adolescents who often struggle with depression and anxiety without even realizing that they are experiencing grief and loss. Often just labeling the grief begins the journey to healing. Others simply need permission to grieve. My office is a safe place where those who need to grieve are permitted to do so and find they then begin to heal.

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.

Losing someone or something that is important requires you to experience it and find a way to make personal meaning from it. Having personally known both grief and loss, I know it can be complicated to figure out just how that might be like. There is no wrong way to grieve, other than to not grieve at all. When you're ready, I try to help figure out what a life moving forward looks like, often including reflection backwards as much as forwards.

Grief can affect our actions, emotions, thoughts, body, and faith. These changes can be overwhelming and you may have a lot of questions about the future. People cope with loss in different ways. One of the most important ways, is having support from others. Our counselors have training and experience in grief that can provide support and help you to learn to live well despite your loss. We invite you to contact our office to schedule an appointment with our grief specialist.

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.

To help a client cope through grief and loss, I sometimes use the example of how an oyster forms a pearl. The oyster ingests a grain of sand that causes pain, and which cannot be removed or dissolved (just like we cannot eliminate the pain of missing a loved one). So the oyster begins to encase the grain of sand with layers of calcium-like substance, that makes the grain of sand easier to carry and hold, without the rough edges. Coping through grief and loss can involve learning how to unpack, experience, and adjust how we carry the pain. Therapy can help you soften and encase the pain of loss, forming a "pearl" around it that is easier to carry with you, and perhaps make it more precious.

The loss of a job, a relationship or ones health can be pretty traumatic. However when you lose a loved one through death, nothing compares with this and it this can be devastating. My role as your therapist would be to come along side you and provide support. Grief and bereavement is a process that does not have a set timeline. When others expect you to have moved on or to have gotten over your loss, I will be there, not to rescue or fix it, but to accompany you as the healing process takes place. Using a variety of grief therapy techniques, I will provide you with the support and tools needed to get through one of the most emotionally draining and difficult times of your life.

Loss is devastating. At GBCC, we have clinicians who specialize in grief and loss therapy to help you manage and process your grief. We understand that grief and loss are deeply personal and individual which is why we work collaboratively to figure out what will work best for you. Contact us today if you are struggling with the loss of a loved one.

Suffering a loss of a loved one can be devastating. You do not have to do it alone. Studies show that when one has a strong support team this can greatly help in their grieving process. I will work with you (and your family- if you so chose) to understand the grieving process, the emotional, psychological and spiritual aspects to help you get through this most difficult time.

Our team of caring therapists provide a healing space for you to cope with grief and loss. Painful and sad emotional times can be managed in a healthy way, allowing for new perspectives and understandings so you can return to your daily schedule once again. Through a combination of traditional counseling along with holistic therapies that heal the mind body and soul you will discover inner peace and acceptance. Each session provides healing tools to manage feelings of denial, anger, depression, and the guilt that often accompanies loss.