Grief and Loss Counselling in Vancouver, BC.

While grief and transition are a natural part of life, we are still often overwhelmed by sadness, anger and all the confusing emotions that come with loss. There is no right or wrong way to grieve—just your body and mind doing what it can to process the pain of major life change and the loss of how things were. Working with me means compassionate care that helps you to approach and feel your feelings in a safe way, taking things one step at a time. I promise you that all grief can be transformed into a gentle honouring of who or what was lost. I would be happy to team up with you in your journey towards peace and acceptance.

Though every experience of loss is personal and unique, there are maps to help us navigate this painful process. Sometimes present grief is complicated by past losses that have re-surfaced and this can make dealing with it alone especially difficult. As an experienced and knowledgeable counsellor in the area of Loss and Grief, I can support you in not feeling overwhelmed. I am there as a compassionate listener and witness, as well as a guide, as your heart heals and you are able to celebrate life again.

To provide the psychoeducation with the process and stages of grief and loss: Depression, Denial, Bargaining, Anger, and Acceptance. To provide talk therapy and allow the client to express themselves, however, also incorporate some SFBT and use positive psychology language. To also emphasize that grief has no timeline and certain life events can be a trigger such as brithdays, holidays, or other occasions.

Grief counseling helps people cope with grief and mourning following the loss of a loved one or due to major life changes that trigger feelings of grief (i.e. job loss or divorce). It provides a space for individuals to work through and process the complex emotions surrounding loss. Healthy grieving results in remembering the loss with a newfound sense of peace, rather than searing pain.

After significant loss, you may experience difficult and surprising emotions, such as anger, shock and guilt. It may feel like the sadness will never go away. I know personally what this feels like and I support many people who are trying to find ways to cope and find their reason to continue. There is no right or wrong way to grieve. There are however many healthy ways to cope with the pain. You can get through it! I can help you.

The pain of grief is different from any pain we feel during our lives. Grief brings up different and sometimes conflicting emotions and unprocessed grief leads to other mental health issues. My approach to grief is creating a safe space in which the clients can share the many different emotions that grief brings up. I also help my clients get in touch with what they need to go through this difficult phase with more compassion. We talk about what the loss means for them and how they can build their life around all the changes that grief brings. Together we will sit with difficult emotions, with the questions that might not have any answers and with the overwhelming pain.

Grief, bereavement, and mourning are a normal part of life that at some point we all must go through-but often mix up when we express our emotions. Healing from each process is a challenging path to walk on your own alone. We can help to make sense of where you are, so you feel confident about your personal journey. Book your appointment with us and experience a new way of therapy online.

The emotions of grief and loss can feel like overwhelming waves that crash on top of us and threaten our survival. The ironic thing about this violent process is that when we commit to experiencing the waves, we feel better. In fact, grief can also be compared to a ‘vehicle’ that if and when we choose to enter, will faithfully drive us to a place of healing. While no one can carry the burden of our grief journey for us, having a therapeutic support can keep us from feeling isolated, as well as help focus us when the waves threaten to overwhelm our sense of progress and hope.

We all deal with loss in our lives, whether through injury, death, or life transitions. However, everyone’s grieving process is unique. I work with you to absorb what has happened, to make sense of the experience, and to explore what it means for you to move ahead. Because loss is a stressful experience, I help you take steps to stay as healthy as possible during the process, in the domains of family, work, and life.

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.

Do you wake up in the morning and have a wave of sadness wash over you as you remember the pain of your loss? Although bereavement is part of life there are times when the circumstances surrounding a loss of a loved one makes it very difficult to come to terms with. Together we will hold a space that will allow you the opportunity to be comforted and heal.

Losing a friend or family member can be devastating no matter the circumstances. We can also experience pain from losing a pet, a job or the ending of a relationship. Regardless of what kind of grief or loss you are struggling with, I will support you in facing your pain and finding a way forward. I will help you to understand the process and stages of grief and make sense of it. When we come to make meaning out of our loss our pain is lessened. I will also help you find peace and acceptance.

I help clients navigate their loss whether it be from the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, or the loss of something important such as a job, a pet, a friendship, or oneself. My approach to helping clients addresses regrets, change, acceptance, anger, and sadness. With people who have lost their loved one, I teach ways of keeping their loved one "alive" and honouring them rather than using traditional approaches of "letting go" and "moving on," which are being shown to be unhelpful and unreasonable for many clients. This fresh perspective helps my clients through a difficult time in their lives while teaching meaningful strategies to use throughout their lives.

Grief & loss can seem debilitating and overwhelming and many people struggle in moving on. Counselling is a highly effective resource for healing after a loss. Through compassion and understanding we will work to heal the pain of the event and move into acceptance and peace. Whether you are grieving the loss of a loved one, the loss of health or mobility, divorce or mid life transition, we can help.

We offer support and provide a safe and empathetic space for clients to process their grief and navigate the complexities of their emotions in the aftermath of loss, breakup, or significant life changes. Drawing upon evidence-based approaches, we guide clients through the stages of grief, helping them understand and make sense of their emotions, thoughts, and experiences.

In my approach to Grief & Loss Therapy, I provide clients with a compassionate and supportive space to navigate the complex emotions and challenges that arise during times of loss. I understand that grief is a highly individualized process, and I tailor my therapy to meet each client's unique needs. By helping clients explore and express their feelings, memories, and fears, I aim to facilitate healing and acceptance. Through this therapeutic journey, clients can expect to gain a deeper understanding of their grief, develop coping strategies, and ultimately find a path towards emotional resilience and a sense of peace, allowing them to honour their loved ones and move forward with their lives

My approach is to join with you to understand your experience of loss intimately and deeply in conversation with you. When we are joined with the pain, you will not have to feel it alone, even if the grief is only fully healed with time. I will help you make sense of your feelings and provide psychoeducation around the phases of grief, specifically to how these known phases can be meaningful to your current experience, what you are feeling, and how you can continue to honour the person, relationship, or thing that you have lost and find acceptance and hope.

Grieving is a process and a journey, not a feeling. When we lose someone, the feelings that arise are often unexpected, sometimes even random. And whatever those feelings are, we owe it to ourselves to feel them. They will, in fact, demand to be felt. As a therapist, I try to be a vessel to receive the feelings that come. I do so without judgement.

Grief and loss affect everyone in different ways. Your lived experience will be our guide and it is always a privilege and an honour to walk with someone as they navigate and work through these most difficult, and often unexpected, times in life. Together we will find ways to integrate grief and loss into the story of who you are; to remember and cherish, to mourn and yet also find ways to thrive.

Here's what clients have said: "When I came to see you, I felt that I was talking to a friend who understood and was in no way judgmental. ....I always felt better after leaving your office...You seemed to know when to talk and when to let me talk - which was most of the time." "Thank you Kathryn for creating a safe place where I could be free to be in the very depths of my grief and yet always knew I wasnt alone. ...Unlike other people who wanted me to stop crying and "just get over it" you seem to understand how grief overrides reason and problem solving. Most people want me to move on so they wont feel uncomfortable Im sad. You always made it about me, my process and my needs."

Each of our lives is touched by grief and loss in personal ways –and- also globally, at times. The process of grieving can be naturally healing and cleansing. But sometimes loss is overwhelming or we simply need some good support for our grieving process. I believe in our natural ability to heal and recover from loss. Support I offer includes: • Understanding you and your unique story • Taking stock of a loss—what treasures remain and what is truly gone • Educating around healthy and unhealthy grief • Helping you discover the ways you already know how to grieve and cope with loss so you can amplify what helps and lessen what doesn’t

Grief and loss does occur anytime we experience the loss of someone or something that we love and identify with. Although it can be normal to grieve, there can come a time when someone may feel stuck in this grief process and then they dicsover they need some help in looking at the situation differently. I can help a client identify their feelings and help them move forward through surrender and acceptance. If there is unfinished business with this person or situation, I would help my client resolve this problem though forgiveness. The ultimate purpose would be to be able to move forward in a constructive and loving manner, leaving behind all grievances and guilt.

GRIEF AND LOSS THERAPY Discovering how to live with and move through the pain of loss is a deeply personal process. There is no set amount of time or way to grieve. Only the time and manner that is right for you is right. Sadness, intense grief, anger and fear, a sense of lost identity, feelings of guilt, disorientation, a loss of purpose, a feeling of numbness may be part of your experience. As a counsellor who has worked with people of all ages and backgrounds, I bring a compassionate heart, a nonjudgmental approach and a warm environment where you can safely explore the feelings and thoughts that face you. Getting the support you need can make a huge difference.

Grief and loss leave us feeling distressed and destabilized. Whether your loss is through a break-up, death, or transition, grief can feel constant and heavy. I provide a supportive environment in which to reflect on the impact of your loss, and make sense of what this means for you - your sense of self, and your future. Whether it is the early days of your loss and you are looking for support to anchor you, or you have been struggling with this loss for months or years, we can work together to reconstruct meaning in your life.

Grief and Loss can feel isolating, hopeless and endless. Whether you have lost a parent, a child, a friend, or a spouse, it is important to discuss your experience with one of our trained professionals in order to start the healing process. Often grief and loss occurs without warning. It is unwanted, stressful, and can feel as though you are the only one experiencing what you are feeling.