Grief and Loss Counseling in Yarrow Point, WA.

Moving through grief and loss is a process. Often loss creates a change and that change can affect you on many levels. Your loss can impact you physically, emotionally; it may alter your identity, your dreams and leave you with thoughts of what should have or what would have been. When I work people experiencing grief and loss, we begin by witnessing the loss, learning what it means to you and how it has changed your life. Depending upon the loss and the person, we will find ways to support and help you manage your pain and your life as you move through the 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.

Grief may arise due to the loss of a loved one, a break-up of an emotionally intimate relationship, loss of a pet, loss of a job, and many other life events. Everyone experiences grief and loss in their own unique way. It is often accompanied by sadness, irritability, guilt, regret, anger and many other feelings. Whether you are experiencing any of these feelings or symptoms, or simply are having difficulty in your daily functioning, I can help to wade through the stressors causing you grief by teaching coping skills that you can use on your own.

Suffering a painful loss and working through grief are much more complicated processes than most people understand. When we are hit by a reality we would have never chosen, our pain and anguish can not only overwhelm us at times, but also those around us. Sometimes people who care deeply for us do not know what to say, and may themselves feel inadequate and so uncomfortable with our pain they want us to “hurry up and feel better.” But grief cannot be rushed; it has its own rhythm. Successfully working through our losses usually requires fully experiencing our pain and our anger. Women often shut down the anger, while men will often shut down the pain. Therapy provides a safe place for both.

Losing someone important to us is one of the most difficult and fully human experiences. It is my honor to walk with you as you adjust to the waves of emotions that is losing someone. Your pain is real, but in good grief and loss counseling you will be given ample space to work through whatever mixed emotions you may be experiencing. I seek to offer gentle support, genuine understanding and provide tangible ways of coping with your grief.

I am particularly practiced at helping clients work through the kinds of grief and loss that result from life-long or acquired disability and chronic, life-threatening or terminal illness. My professional interest in this area stems from my personal experiences with a life-long disability and, more recently, a chronic illness. I use Emotion Focused, Existential, mindfulness-based, and other strategies to help my clients gain access to their feelings regarding their losses and figure out how to live the richest life possible given their particular circumstances.

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.

Everyone grieves in their own way and in their own time. Some people recover from grief and resume normal activities very quickly. Others may feel better after many months or eve a year. And sometimes people continue to grieve for years without seeming to improve or find relief even temporarily. Grief can also be complicated by other conditions and circumstances. No one way of grieving is better than any other. Each experience of grief is unique, complex, and personal, and our therapists will tailor treatment to meet the specific needs of each person. Using evidence based therapeutic approaches, your counselor will help you move through this process.

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.

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.

Learning to live again after the death of a loved one can be an overwhelming and painful experience. Together we’ll explore tasks or goals that you can accomplish allowing you to move through grief, heal and rebuild your life. Often grief holds emotions that need to be expressed so they are not internalized only to become physical or emotional problems later on. If you wish, we can explore how Scripture encourages you to make meaning out of death and cherish memories of your loved one.

You're sad and you don't know why. You cry and are confused. There are areas in your life where you have lost much and you don't know how to grieve it, or where to go to get help. You've heard well meaning friends tell you the pad answers, but you really just want someone to hold you and make it go away. Therapy is a sense of "emotional holding" that helps those feelings make more sense and as opposed to those feelings going away, we learn how to live within our grief and loss when we explore it.

I have learned that grief and loss are experienced very uniquely from client to client. There is no linear path to improvement. Working through grief and loss is not about recovery but about finding ways to incorporate the learnings into a new version of yourself. There are ways to be proactive and tools available that can help you through this process.

The key to my approach in working with people who are grieving a loss is to recognize that, while grief and loss are universal experiences, the way each person grieves can be very different. It is important to honor that. The key benefit in working with me is that I will help you find a way through your grieving that works for you. There is no one correct way. Each person has their own unique way of coping with grief and loss. My job is to help you find ways to heal in your own way.

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.

When you lose someone unexpectedly, the whole world feels out of control, dangerous. This time can be wrought with confusion, anger, grief, darkness and numbness. When you experience a loss, you may feel all alone and as if no one will ever understand your experience. Therapy is a place to give voice to this experience and make space for the feelings that come with loss. I provide a judgment free, warm, environment for exploring pain, remembering, processing what you've lost and healing.

Loss can be found in almost every experience - even the most positive changes in life ask us to let go of something, something we are familiar with, something that - for good or ill - is part of us. Loss can create confusion and discontent and other defeating patterns that can keep you stuck, blocking the sometimes frightening yet relieving, healing flow of grief - grief that can lead you to new hope and renewed or expanded meaning in life. With this in mind, as you are able, we'll explore what loss you have experienced or are currently facing in your particular situation or life story, and thus find our way to your heart and soul where grieving can open up space for hope and new perspective

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.

Is grief making it difficult to function in daily life, leaving you unable to enjoy living? Are you feeling overwhelmed by excessive bitterness, guilt or anger? Do you find yourself withdrawing from friends and family with near constant feelings of despair? If you find you answered yes to several or all of these questions, your grief may have evolved into clinical depression and it may be time to seek help. Be gentle with yourself, knowing there is no right or wrong way to grieve and all of your feelings are normal, even if it feels like you're going crazy. I will help you to understand what is happening to you and walk beside you as you move through your very personal grieving process.

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.

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.

The emotional suffering you experience after the loss of a loved one can feel overwhelming and relentless. Impacting every part of who you are. There is no set amount of time to grieve and sometimes it can take more time then our loved ones or even our selves can bear. Having a therapist to help you work through the painful emotions and be support is a significant part of the grieving process.

I have been honored to work with many people who have lost a dear relationship. This is a pain where the circumstances cannot change, the loss is real and fundamentally changes the person who has experienced that loss. However, not all is lost and you still have a life to live. Often, people need someone outside of their friend/family group to process through the waves of anger and denial, guilt and fear. I like to remind my clients that grief will cycle through, but with each cycle they are growing stronger, standing on the gift of their loved ones' life and honoring them in their healing. You can heal and your loved one will not be forgotten.

Death of a loved one or loss of something significant in your life can creep up in ways you hadn't expected. My holistic way of looking at your situation and compassionate presence can help you explore your feelings and allow you deeper freedom to get through this difficult time. Finding the right fit with a counselor is of utmost importance. For that reason, if a client visits with me for the first visit and decides he or she does not want to continue on with me, that first session is absolutely free.

When there is a loss of a loved one, or a change in your life that feels overwhelming, grief counseling is an opportunity for healing and resolution. Through contemplation and understanding there is a letting go that naturally occurs. In time, the depression and pain are replaced with peace of mind. You discover how to move on with confidence and ease.