Grief and Loss Counselling in Gibbons, AB.

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.

Many people reach out for help to deal with grief or loss of a friend or family member. Its important to remember to be kind to your self during this time there is no right or wrong way to grieve. Its also important to remember a person can miss or grieve the loss of not only people but also jobs, events, trips, freedom, health and a number of other things As you process your memories of a person or an event you will be contained in a safe environment with acceptance and care.

I would like to be your support system in your grief journey by giving you a safe and judgement free environment, where you will be able to experience emotional and physical support. Together, we will start your healing process through sharing your story, increasing your understanding of the situation, finding new coping skills, working on your hope...

At Rivers Edge Counselling, our therapists can help you with your grief or bereavement by: helping you better identify and accept your loss, move through the various emotions associated with loss like anger, hopelessness, sadness, guilt and loneliness seek a new approach to remember and honour a loved one who has passed away, and finally accept the impact it has had on shaping your life.

Loss can be the most painful thing we as humans can experience. The finality of loss and the pain of grieving often take a toll on our mental health. Grief is not just an emotion we experience, it is a physiological process our body goes through after a significant loss. Grief and loss also does not just occur from experiencing the death of someone we care about. Grief is not always about a negative loss. Grief can occur anytime there is a transition in life where we have to let go of something familiar. Even positive experiences like having a child can lead to feelings of grief and loss from the life we had before or how we have changed how we now define ourselves.

It has been said that life is about loss, and how one deals with it. Grief is how we deal with loss. Uncomplicated grief is an adjustment process, not an illness. There is one, though...an illness, I mean. I'd say the "illness" is cultural: For one reason or another, people ordinarily lose patience with the grief process, and often well before a healthy mourner is through their active grieving process. Unexpressed grief from former losses can extend the time needed for healthy grieving. People's wounds and scars can close heart and mind toward the grieving process. In an imperfect world, psychotherapists hold space and make time for (and precious to) a balanced grief process.

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.

Grief is a normal response to loss. Together we can help you feel less alone as you make your way through the rivers of grief and forests of sadness. I believe no matter how much pain we are in, something inside us is stronger than pain. Accommodating the process of grief and its effects do not have to be processed alone. You can get through this pain, and there is a path back to feeling alive again. We will email back and forth, it's just like talking to a friend only you will receive professional help on your own schedule. Secure, and completely confidential, to assist you in the healing process around mourning , and provide comfort to the bereaved.

When we are unable to emotionally move on from a significant loss, the grief recovery process can help. It is a 8 session process to identify the loss, in addition to others, and creates a structured format to move through the thoughts and feelings that remain. This process leaves clients feeling very differently at the end of the set of sessions, where they report that they have said what they needed to say, but never had a chance to and now feel very differently about accepting the loss and finding peace within the acceptance.

Loosing a loved ones hurts especially if it's a spouse, child, parent, friend or family pet. Dealing with grief is a process and having a gentle, compassionate person to walk through this with you can be the difference between drowning, and moving through overwhelmingly painful feelings to feeling whole again. Art therapy offers another modality for expressing grief that may be hard to articulate. It is when we process our emotions that pain can be lifted and new maces of being in the world are found.

As cliche as it sounds healing from grief takes time. In fact my philosophy is that you do not really heal from grief. You will always feel the hurt from the loss of the loved one, and it is that hurt that keeps you connected to them. We are not going to try and get rid of your heartache, but rather help you manage and appreciate the heartache that you have in a more optimistic positive manner.

Everyone grieves in their own way and in their own time. The grieving process is a deeply painful and isolating experience that involves many complicated emotions. Being inundated with advice to “move on,” “keep busy,” “be strong,” or “wait for time to heal” often keeps us stuck and isolated in our pain. Even if the loss wasn’t a surprise, we often feel unprepared and ill-equipped to deal with the complex emotions that arise.

While grief is a natural part of life, it can be overwhelming to go through the multitude of feelings that accompany a loss. I believe that people grieve a number of events in life, from the death of a loved one, to the loss of important relationships, retirement, the "empty nest," or transitioning from one phase of life to another. I help those who are grieving to understand the process, and learn how to bear the feelings that rise up "like waves." I also work towards helping people to honour the positive aspects of what has been lost, and reach a place of acceptance, while adapting to a new way of living.

The loss of a loved one, whether a spouse, friend, relative or pet, is a tough experience to deal with, and grief is expected and normal in such situations. I can work with you to process the grief that you are experiencing, and together we will work towards finding a stronger person within you, who is able to grieve and accept the loss, and also find ways to adjust to the changes that the loss had in your life.

Grief and loss are experiences that we all experience at some point in our lives. However, we all experience the grieving process in our own way. I understand that grief is a very personal process, and I respect that there are many healthy views about what loss means in our lives. If you are finding grief is making it difficult for you to function day to day, I can help. Together we will explore how loss has impacted your life and process this experience in a way that brings insight and understanding that will allow you to move forward. Our goal is not to make a loss a happy memory, nor a memory we forget about, but an experience we are truly at peace with.

Standard Grief: Sadness directly related to a loss. Complex Grief: Sadness related to a loss. Includes additional meanings and associated emotions as in: Regret – “I am a horrible person” Anger – “The universe took something too soon” Hopelessness – “ My life has not meaning now” Fear – “I am at risk of losing more” Helpless – “I am incapable- I cannot go on” Complex grief is grieving that get stuck because of the complicating meaning the trauma of loss has triggered. In order to treat complex grief, we remove the LBs associated with the loss, as shown above, and this lets the standard grief progress through the regular stages of grief, to arrive at a healthy perspective on the loss.

Grief is a natural and universal reaction to events that occur in our lives. Still, the grieving process can be hard to navigate alone. If you are experiencing grief for the loss of a loved one, or if you would like support in processing loss of a different kind, then you can benefit from supportive counselling with me. Psychotherapy for grief and loss provides you with the opportunity to honour the feelings you are experiencing. I will support and guide you to find peace and joy in your own life in a way that values and honours your loss. Grief is natural. We do not need to run from it. I offer you the support and guidance to grieve without being overwhelmed by your loss.

Our fast paced world does not create the adequate time needed to process and move forward from loss toward healing. Therefore, the counselling process can create space and time for clients to grieve in the time and way each individual needs. Helping clients to slow down from the busyness of daily demands allows clients to identify the effect of the loss and build hope for the future.

Grief and loss can bring overwhelming emotions and a sense of deep sadness, and navigating this pain can feel difficult and isolating. In our work together, I offer a caring, non-judgmental space where you can process your feelings at your own pace. I will support you in exploring the emotions tied to your grief and help you find healthy ways to cope. We will work to understand the impact of your loss and find ways to move forward, healing in your own time. My goal is to help you find peace, comfort, and a renewed sense of meaning and strength as you navigate this difficult time.

When we suffer a loss our tendency is to cling to the person or thing that was lost. Grief is the process of letting go. Through grief therapy you will be able to find the courage to embrace the inevitable pain and to transform the emptiness into a renewed affirmation of yourself. The pain needs to be fully experienced and expressed in a supportive environment. It is a normal reflection of our love for the one we have lost.

My approach to understanding and processing grief is about rejecting the view that there are "stages to grief." My perspective on grief is that it is an ongoing process and that there is no one way to grieve. My viewpoint is about exploring the meaning and the relationship you had with the individual in life and death. Additionally, I explore ways to connect with the lost object, concept, individual, and/or animal. Last, in counselling we collaborate on strategies to cope with grief, loss, or anticipatory grief (waiting for a loss to occur).

My approach as a therapist is client-centred, solution-focused, and relationship based. I believe you are the expert in your own life. Therapy can provide a space to explore life challenges, so you can create new meanings, hope and new beginnings. The alliance we form together in therapy can assist you to work through grief and loss while working toward reaching your individual potential.

When working with grief and loss, I believe it is important to be patient and present. I primarily focus on the emotions and experiences of the grief and loss and make sure that they are being felt. Although this can be a painful process, it is important that we are allowing ourselves to move into the pain versus avoiding it so that all emotions, thoughts, and sensations are dealt with.

Are you feeling overwhelmed by loss, struggling to cope with the pain, and finding it hard to move forward? Grief can be isolating and exhausting, leaving you feeling stuck in sadness and longing for peace. As a clinical counsellor, I understand how difficult this journey can be. But I also know that healing is possible. Imagine having someone by your side who truly understands what you're going through, who offers compassionate support and effective strategies to help you heal. Together, we can navigate this difficult time and find a way to honour your loss, rebuild your strength, and rediscover hope. Let's start this journey together. Book a free 15-minute phone consultation today.

Grief can take on a number of forms in pregnancy and parenthood. Grief regarding fertility struggles, miscarriage, infant loss, loss of identity and more can be common experiences for parents. At Nest, we provide a supportive and sensitive environment for those who are struggling with grief and loss and empower individuals to incorporate grief into their lives in a meaningful and sustainable way.