Grief and Loss Counselling in Wellington, AB.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

The process of coping with any deep emotional loss takes time. Men and women deal with the tragedy of loss in very different ways - our elderly population also experience loss in a way that is very unique to their age and life experiences. Grief and loss will be an aspect of every person’s life at some point. We all cope with these challenges in unique ways. Understanding the stages of grief and how they impact us individually is the first step in managing any loss. And learning effective ways of coping with that pain is critical when we are trying to make our lives functional again.

Feelings of loss and grief come up for different reasons. You may have lost a loved one, a relationship or even a change in your physical functioning due to accidents or illness. Whatever the reason, therapy can help in the grieving process. It gives you the space to acknowledge your loss, what it meant to you as well as finding new ways to ascribe meaning in your life.

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).

Grief is a natural process that's painful, personal, and normal. Grief allows a person to come to terms with a significant loss, and make sense of their new reality without a loved one. I can help those who are experiencing complicated grief. Typically, the goals of my therapy for complicated grief revolve around overcoming obstacles to the normal grieving process, and to coming to terms with the loss.

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 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.

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.

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.

[I OFFER VIDEO SESSIONS THROUGHOUT ALBERTA AND ONTARIO]. You are hurting now, and I understand that. I have been a psychologist since 1986 with plenty of hard-earned wisdom. I too have experienced grief and loss many times in my life. I can help. Let us chat about the pain you are feeling now. Book with me right now by going to https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=14249112

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.

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.

The death of a loved one shakes us to our core. Some of the questions people ask are how to move on and how to let go without dishonouring the love for the one who has died. Loss is most obviously of a person but it can be a pet a relationship, a job or a sense of a changing identity or position in the world. This is a time when our spiritual and religious values can help us or perhaps a time to dig deeper into ones self. I am able to offer a deeper perspective on death and dying and help you find meaning in profound loss. I am personally familiar with personal loss so that my help is based on real life experience.

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.

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...

Loss can happen at any point in life. The struggle can be particularly damaging when faced with multiple losses through fertility challenges. Loss can be traumatic and swept under the carpet. Your story is important, your feelings are important and I will create a safe place for you to explore your loss and move towards healing. Your response to your own feelings of loss is unique to you. There is no right or wrong. You are accepted for who you are and where you are at in your own process.

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.

Grief and bereavement are very normal responses to loss. However, the experience of grief and bereavement can be extremely difficult and feel paralyzing or overwhelming. Whether you have lost a loved one, a beloved pet, or have experienced a change in ability or circumstance, I can help you explore loss, learn tools to process grief, and build a plan for coping.