Grief and Loss Counseling in Clyde Hill, WA.

I provide a safe and compassionate container for the healing expression of grief and loss. I support your journey to clear feelings and unresolved relational issues that can get you stuck. Gently, we face the fears you may be feeling around your own life and moving forward. Your grief and loss can shift from an overwhelming, debilitating and soul-crushing, ever-present feeling to something clean, loving, bitter-sweet, slowly fading into the background. Thus, opening space for you, for life, for joy to show up, again.

The pain of grief and loss can be so heavy and isolating. It often feels like others do not understand the depth of our despair or they move on and expect us to be able to move on within a certain time frame as well. Grief and loss shake our foundation and it can seem unfair that the world keeps moving on. Grief is a process and there is no specific time line. Some of us even have ongoing grief, which can feel unbearable at times. However, even with continuous grief, we can find ways to cope and find joy and freedom again. Though our grief can seem big, we can find hope that is even bigger.

Although grief is a normal reaction to loss, getting over a broken heart may be difficult. I support my clients as they move beyond their loss, whether it's death, divorce or the numerous other common life experiences which are losses such as moving, graduation, reitement, holidays, empty nest or health changes. I will help you find new meaning in life as you deal with the many feelings that grief brings. As I work with you to recover from your grief, you will learn some skills that allow you to deal with loss directly. Recovering from grief takes courage and it's so worth the effort as you begin to live more wholeheartedly!

When grief and loss hit, life can feel unbearable. When this happens, we sometimes try to avoid our painful feelings, but this never works for long and can lead to unhealthy ways of coping. As hard as it is, the way to heal from loss is to lean into the pain instead of running away from it. I provide a safe place for my clients to heal and move through their pain so they can fully engage in life again.

Grief and loss are very challenging. The difficulty of processing these complex emotions is compounded due to the fast paced nature of our lives pushing us forward, not providing the space and time for the necessary reflection. In order to move forward, we need time to grieve what has been lost. Our work begins with addressing the loss currently burdening your heart. It continues with examining the depth of the loss and its various levels of impact on your life. For example, losing one's mother could also mean the loss of a confidant, a cheerleader, a friend, an advocate etc. Finally, we will work together through the stages of your grief, supplementing with reading material when necessary.

Grief is a difficult issue for all of us because it looks differently for everyone. However, there are some common themes in how we grieve as men and women. If you or someone you know is grieving and finding it difficult to acknowledge their grief or know what to do next, therapy is the best place to explore how they might grieve fully and in so doing, be able to move forward in life.

If you have a loss of a loved one, or a change in your life that feels overwhelming, grief counseling is an opportunity for healing and resolution. As you share the tenderness of your loss there is a letting go that naturally occurs. In time, the sadness and pain of loss is replaced with a warm dearness seated in the depth of your heart.

At Bluestone Psychological Services, you will find Dr. Bill Roedel and Randie Clark, LMHC, each of whom have had extensive and yet unique training in helping people cope with grief and loss. In a way that honors what has been lost, each will help you express all that has changed and figure out how to shape your life in a way that respects and maintains your connection with what is missing as well as build a life filled with meaning as you go forward.

By employing various therapeutic techniques such as talk therapy, cognitive-behavioral interventions, and mindfulness practices, grief and loss therapy aims to help individuals navigate the different stages of grief, honor their loss, and gradually rebuild their lives. The benefits of grief and loss therapy include providing a supportive environment for processing emotions, developing healthy coping mechanisms, and finding meaning and purpose amidst the pain. Additionally, this therapeutic approach can facilitate the exploration of new ways to remember and honor loved ones, fostering a sense of resilience and acceptance.

Losing someone or something is incredibly hard. I believe that one of the great myths that we are told is simply that “time heals all wounds.” Time can actually reinforce the pain of loss and it is important to mourn and grieve that which we no longer have. I am honored to partner with my clients on their journey through healing and finding peace after a loss. I look forward to the opportunity to work with you.

We tend to bottle up our grief when we experience a loss. I seek to provide an environment for you to share the various stages of grief you may be facing, and in doing so, I journey alongside you in this painful season. At times I may recommend some reading that may be helpful to you as well as help you identify stages of grief that are commonly experienced by others.

You do not need to be alone with your grief. Together we can chart a path that will greatly reduce your pain and help you naturally process emotion, thought, and physical sensations that may be held in your body and mind. Although loss is a part of life, when we are not able to fully process these experiences we can become stuck and unable to create joyful relationships or feel happy in our daily lives. Feeling bad, angry, numb, or depressed can be a symptom of being stuck in the grieving process. Our society expects us to "get over it" when we actually need much longer to come to a place of acceptance. I provide a compassionate healing space to resolve your losses and return to life.

Adults may encounter things we don’t feel completely ready for and may lose motivation or connection with our surroundings. Emotions like sadness, loneliness, fear, and anger can also emerge in adults and take hold. Layers upon layers, we find ourselves struggling and need help resolving the uncomfortable situation during critical times.

Working through grief and loss, while respecting needed defenses can take months if not years, but can enhance the quality of your life. We will respect defenses and consider a variety of emotions, which may include relief, anger, sadness, regret, fear and loneliness with my help. It is my strong believe that this process entails work and time, but can lead to personal growth, which can enhance your knowledge and appreciation of yourself and therefore enhance your capacity to be empathic with others.

Grief and loss is, unfortunately, a normal part of living. There is no single "correct" way to grieve: different cultures and even individuals from the same culture grieve differently. The only consistent feature is that grief takes time. The most effective thing anyone can do for someone grieving is to be there—to listen, to empathize, to walk along with the grief. There is no "fixing" grief. But counseling can help prevent normal grief from developing into major depression or other mental health conditions.

The loss of a loved one is difficult to work through. It helps to have someone to talk to. Sometimes new relationships are difficult because of loss of past relationships and the abandonment we feel. It is hard to love, trust and move forward after loss and the grief that accompanies it. I provide a comfortable, confidential environment with tools to help you move into your future.

Many times surprising emotions come up after a loss. Often much guilt, regret, anger and blame contribute to thoughts of what we could or should have done differently. These thoughts keep taking up space in the mind and stop us from processing and coming to terms with loss. I help clients during this difficult time by listening empathetically and using methods that help clients grieve in a healthy productive way. I help client find self-compassion, forgiveness and hope during this time time of adjustment.

Are you going through a break-up, separation, or divorce? Do you need help through this difficult period? I provide a safe, warm, and understanding space for you to go through the grief and healing process needed to recovery from any loss you may be experiencing. Some aspects of loss include: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and finally acceptance. I will help guide you through the stages and help you get unstuck so that you can find the peace you want.

Grief and loss effects every one at some point in their life. At times when grief or loss become so great that they feel unmanageable, it is necessary to reach out to others. Better yet is reaching out to professionals who have training and experience helping individuals process their grief in a safe, structured, and effective manner. Please don't feel as if you have to go through this time of grief and loss alone. There is hope! You just need to make the first, often difficult step of reaching out for help. Please don't hesitate to contact me.

Have you experienced a loss in your life? The death of a loved one is often one of the most painful trials we face. And grief isn’t reserved for loss of life. The death of a marriage or other unexpected and painful losses can lead to sadness and anxiety about the future. I will work with you to understand and process the natural feelings of grief that come with these losses. When you are ready, we will focus on move forward with your life while still honoring the memories and experiences you had before this loss.

If you have lost someone close to you through death, relocation or the end of a relationship, and feel isolated and lonely, it takes time and support to gently move forward in life. If you are shy or feel anxiety in social situations it can be hard to reach out for help and create the supportive relationships you need. I can help you move forward, gain a new sense of self worth, and begin to create meaningful nurturing social connections.

I have learned that grief and loss are experienced very uniquely from client to client. The stages of grief are not necessarily experienced linearly. Working through grief and loss is not so much about recovery as it is about finding ways to incorporate the experience into a new version of yourself. There are ways to be proactive in processing grief and tools available that can help you through this process.

If you have experienced loss in the form of death, divorce or other estrangement in relationships, I can help you through this process. Grief and loss can take their toll, but connecting with a therapist can make the difference. Though none of us wants to experience the pain, these kinds of events can deepen our character. Give yourself the time, space and self-nurture it takes to move through the emotions. Call me at 425 652-1413 to set up an appointment.

How do you move on when desire, hope, a loved one, or the something core to you has been lost? I am hesitant to answer that question in words because I think that there are no cognitive solutions to loss. You may have experienced this. In some ways, the only way to work with the grief is to go straight through it. It is a difficult journey, one you may have just entered or one you may have found yourself in for years. I offer a caring hand in your journey through it.

Grief eventually finds us all, yet grieving is often interrupted by the practical concerns of continuing to live. Allowing yourself time and space to grieve is necessary to your recovery. No matter what the specific circumstances of your loss, there are common feelings, concerns, and anxieties that most people experience. I can help you know what to expect and how to cope with the intense emotions that surround profound losses such as the death of a loved one or abandonment. Grief counseling can help you at all stages of grieving, from supporting you through the logistics to forging your strengthened individual identity.