Grief and Loss Counseling in Yarrow Point, WA.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Working with people experiencing grief I want to help illuminate all aspects of it, including past grief that has gone unresolved. Each grief causing event has a life cycle. And while most grief is never 100% worked through, the less it it has been processed the more it piggybacks on the next event as a layering effect. Just understanding this can help make sense of our feelings. This is a starting point.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Living with grief is a marathon. And every marathoner needs support and care along the way. Grief has and is changing you. How it changes you, and what road your grief takes you down is still to be determined. I see grief as a cocoon. A cocoon that we can nurture together so at the other side of grief you can come out - still you - although changed. It is a process that is earth shattering, but you do not have to be alone. Your resilience is there - waiting to guide you.