Grief and Loss Counselling in Milton, ON.

Grief is when your love has lost its place to land. When you lose a loved one that love can become toxic for you as the struggle to move through the stages of grief. Support during such a time is what we need rather than isolation. There may be times when we need to be alone but we are community creatures and need to belong, especially when we experience such things as the death of someone close to us.

Everyone experiences grief and loss differently. And everyone, at some point or another experiences the loss of an important person, animal, place or thing in their life. If you have come to a decision where you feel you are ready to express the feelings and thoughts that you have been going through, I am here to listen. My goal is to guide you through your unique process so that the pain is no longer unbearable. I wish to help you understand your relationship to the person, animal, job, etc. that you lost and work through any feelings that may be inhibiting your overall health and well-being.

As someone who has experienced loss and studied loss, I understand how unique and different everyone's experience with it is. Grief can be one of the most complex and complicated of human experiences and can occur with or without a tangible loss. Using a person centered and strengths based foundation, I will hold space with you and aid you in navigating these complex feelings at your own pace.

Over the course of our lives, we experience various losses and we grieve in many different ways. It can be difficult to know how to begin working through grief and you do not have to be alone in this process. I believe that grieving is a journey and I welcome the opportunity to support you in your path to healing. Within therapy, we can explore some of the emotions you are experiencing, unpack expectations about what grieving looks like, discuss possibilities for connection with what’s most important within your life, and consider possible ways to honour the loss(es) you have experienced. Contact me or book a free consultation if you wish to learn more.

In my Grief & Loss Therapy approach, I create a compassionate and nonjudgmental space for clients to navigate their unique grieving process. Through active listening and empathy, I support clients in expressing their emotions and memories related to their loss. Using therapeutic techniques like narrative therapy and mindfulness, I help clients reframe their experiences, process their emotions, and find healthy coping strategies. My goal is to empower clients to find meaning, resilience, and renewed hope as they navigate the challenging path of grief and emerge stronger on the other side.

Although therapy cannot help you replace who/what has been lost, it can help you come to accept the reality of the loss, to be able to look backwards and remember the good, and to be able to look forward with hope. Grief and loss therapy can be helpful for those who have lost a loved one, are going through a separation or divorce, lost a job, experienced an injury, received a medical diagnosis, or recently experienced a disappointment.

Grief is the normal and natural reaction to significant emotional loss of any kind. It involves conflicting feelings caused by the end of, or change in, a familiar pattern of behaviour. It is the feeling of reaching out for someone who has always been there, they are no longer there. The grief journey is so individual and unique, so our work with people who need loss support is also specific to our clients' needs. We help people properly diagnose their difficulties and help them make sense of their conflicting emotions so that they can move through life with more peace and certainty.

Grief is a highly individual process and is often experienced differently by different people. You may be seeking counselling as you are struggling with a recent loss or because your sense of grief has become overwhelming to you. Grief involves adaption to the loss and this takes time and compassion and self compassion. Whether loss is gradual, sudden, anticipated, imposed, death or non death related, psychotherapy provides the opportunity to explore ones emotional, cognitive or physical reactions to loss and gain perspective and/or meaning.

Are you using alcohol, substances, or addictive behaviors to cope with grief and loss? Although they provide relief in the short term, their long-term effects on your relationships and health can make it even more difficult to cope. Through a compassionate non-judgmental approach, I help clients explore their relationship to grief and loss so that they can overcome addictive coping strategies. If you're looking for another way forward, feel free to reach out and we can set up a free consultation to discuss further.

Coping with Grief & Loss Losing someone or something you love is very painful. After a significant loss, you may experience all kinds of difficult and surprising emotions, such as shock, anger, and guilt. Sometimes it may feel like the sadness will never let up. While these feelings can be frightening and overwhelming, they are normal reactions to loss. Accepting them as part of the grieving process and allowing yourself to feel what you feel is necessary for healing. There is no right or wrong way to grieve — but there are healthy ways to cope with the pain. You can get through it!

Grief is an intensely personal experience, and it is never the same for any two people; even two people grieving the same loss. Some abide by the commonly known Stages of Grief, while those stages are recognizable, I believe the process is not linear, and any stage can be experienced at any time. Completely accepting people wherever they are in the grieving process prevents the expectation of a grieving in a certain order. My approach is to show compassion, emphasize self-care, and to provide a safe place and plenty of opportunity for self-expression. The creation of memory/legacy pieces in the form of songs, poems, and/or visual arts is an option when appropriate.

Grief is the emotional suffering we feel when we lose something or someone important to us. This can include the loss of friend, partner, or family member, a change in life circumstances, death of a pet, getting fired, loss of health, safety, a dream... anything that we once had and now do not. The intensity and process can be unique for each person, but like all other emotions that impact the quality of our life, ignoring it or suppressing it does not work. Seeking support as we move through the various stages of grief is very helpful. Planning for our healing is crucial so that we do not become 'stuck' in the pain. A skilled therapist can assist us during this vulnerable time.

Grief is a potential reaction to a loss of any kind whether through death, divorce, abandonment, separation, job loss, illness, disease diagnosis, kids leaving home, etc. Feelings of anger, resentment, shame, confusion, isolation or abandonment can result. Friends and family may not know what to say or how to provide support. A trained professional, who is profoundly sympathetic, respectful and empathetic, with the skills required to help one navigate through this difficult time, can be critical in helping one regain equilibrium.