Grief and Loss Counselling in Elmira, ON.

Grief and loss can be described as a roller coaster ride. When we are giving we experience so many emotions such as sadness, depression, anger, confusion and more. Working through grief is hard work and it's important to be reminded that this is normal. Helpful coping strategies and identifying self care strategies is a focus of grief therapy I do.

Coping with grief is an inevitable and challenging aspect of life. At Atlas Therapy, our commitment is to assist you in navigating this journey, offering support and empathy as you confront various types of loss. We strive to aid clients in comprehending the grieving process, devising personalized coping strategies, addressing feelings of guilt or anger, fostering social connections, building resilience, and engaging in cognitive restructuring. The skilled therapists at Atlas recognize that grief elicits a spectrum of intense emotions, and we provide a secure, non-judgmental space for you to express and process these feelings. Take the first step towards healing by reaching out today.

What makes grief so painful? Perhaps it's because we experience a double loss. The first is losing a loved one, the second is losing a part of our ourselves. This is why the familiar saying, "you gotta let go," can sometimes make things worse. Instead of letting go, I'm interested in how we can bring people closer: closer to what we hold dear, closer to what we cherished most… In doing so, we can begin to develop a new relationship with our departed loved one, and simultaneously offer comfort and healing to parts of ourselves.

An experienced professional psychologist provides not only support, but also challenges the person suffering from grief and loss to move forward in an adaptive way. Comprehensive clinical psychological assessment for greif often also addresses possible clinical depression, anxiety or bereavement. Elements of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy are often used in treatment.

Grief is the natural reaction to loss whether it is the death a loved one, or through divorce, or the ending of friendship, or through job loss, loss related to theft, or even loss of independence through disability. The emotions that come with grief can be intense and sometimes overwhelming. Counselling can help when the feelings of grief are too intense, or seem to last for too long and begin to impair your ability to function in daily life. If you are struggling to move on after a loss, please reach out for support.

When I was 14 I experienced my first death. My grandpa was my favorite person in the world at the time. He used to sit beside me and play with my earlobe while we would talk about our day. I couldn't make sense of all the emotional issues that it brought. I have also experienced loss in my life that doesn't involve death, yet profoundly affected my life in negative and confusing ways. Grief & Loss can be pretty tricky and complex! The benefits to working with me is that I go above for all of my clients! One of my clients suffering with grief had not been to the burial site since the funeral. I drove them 2 hours so that we could journey together through something they were finally ready for.

Grief can occur in many ways. Fundamentally it is a loss of something or someone important to our lives. The loss leaves a void behind. Moving through grief and healing from it is a process that occurs over time. Sometimes it helps to go through this with someone beside you. If you feel the need for a companion on this journey who may have some ideas that could help your grief process, please reach out.

In the wake of death, divorce, or tragedy, it is normal to feel lost, cut adrift, and out-of-control. Grief therapy is a safe place to become grounded, where you can process your emotions without fear of being judged or shut down. While your friends and family might want you to move on fast - there are no "shoulds" or "musts" here. In our sessions, we'll work on processing grief on your own terms, in a way that honours you and the relationship you had with the person you lost. We'll work to help you get your bearings and - in time - to return back to life after your loss.

Many people have ideas about how grief should look or feel based on expectations from family, society, or the media. There are so many experiences and events that deserve be mourned, whether society recognizes them or not, and your feelings about the loss are valid. Your experience of grief is unique to you and there is no correct way to process your loss, which is why I work collaboratively with clients to explore meaning in the thoughts and feelings that emerge as you begin your healing journey. Book a free consultation to learn more about my approach and explore if we are a good fit.

Grief is a natural response to losing something or someone that is important to you. It is the emotional suffering you experience when someone or something is taken away from you. Many associate the death of a loved one as the cause of grief, but any loss can cause grieving. I can help you process your grief in meaningful ways. You do not have to grieve alone.

One of the hardest experiences is the loss of someone or something significant that made us who we are. My approach focuses on exploring the various stages of grief, such as anger, sadness, and bargaining, to help you understand how these emotions manifest in your unique experience. Together, we will discover personalized ways to honor the memory of your loved one, allowing you to find a sense of closure and connection. I believe that while they may physically leave us, their presence continues within us in a different form. Reintegrating this loss into your sense of self is a key component of the healing process, enabling you to find new ways to cherish their memory and navigate your life.

I believe there are many forms of grief and loss. We may be grieving the loss of a loved one, our dream of what home is, grief of the pain of the planet, ecosystems and species, loss of an inner sense of balance. One activity I love to share with people who are grieving is to be present with a river. I invite them to pay attention as the water flows downstream and to tune into what they are letting go of. Then I invite them to notice how there is water flowing toward them and ask what newness might be emerging within? Often people are surprised to discover that our loss is creating space for something new to arise.

Grief is a complex experience that may be accompanied by a diversity of difficult emotions that are challenging to work around. However, you are not alone. Each of us have a unique relationship with grief, and I am here to support you in discovering what that relationship looks like for you. You don’t have to know where to start or where you are going in your pathway to healing. There is no correct way to grieve. Contact me to book a free consultation to see if we would be a good fit.