Grief and Loss Counseling in Benicia, CA.

Grief looks differently for different people. Grief needs its own time and can't be forced. Many contemporary cultures have forgotten their collective ways to face loss and to support grieving people through ritual and community. Therapy provides an ongoing compassionate relationship, a rock for you to return to again and again with your process. An ear that won't get tired of listening. Bringing presence to the grieving process allows healing and the rich rewards of a strong and open heart. You will feel joy and peacefulness again.

Losing a loved one changes you forever. While grief is a natural part of the life cycle, everyone can benefit from the emotional support psychotherapy provides. I can help you move through the grieving process so it does not turn into social isolation and depression. You don't have to go though this alone. I provide a safe place for you to sort through your sadness and loss. I can help you gather strength to move forward.

When you lose something or someone important or close to you, it may be difficult to make sense of life or to feel that others can relate to or understand what you are going through. If you need someone to talk to about what happened, I am here for you. I understand that sadness is often something that shouldn't be fixed, but embraced. I also specialize in helping people who were hurt or abused by the deceased. Grief and Loss is a painful time of life, one that every human being goes through. You are not alone. I will come alongside you through the anger, loneliness, fear, shock, and panic. In the middle of the grief, the way forward can bring hope, strength, peace and freedom from guilt.

Experiencing a loss, whether is a death or a relationship, can be one of the most difficult and life changing events one might go through in life. Grief comes in waves and can be overwhelming. Having a safe place to go express this grief and experience it can be very healing. Understanding how you might experience the grieving and loss process can be helpful when it feels like it is consuming you. Therapy can be a start to working through some of the feelings, emotions and thoughts about your loss. I will be able to support you through this process.

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.

I help men cope with grief and loss, to find meaning in their pain, and to move forward in their lives. My clinical work over the past 10 years has taught me that the way men cope with grief can sometimes be different than women. Cultural ideals and "male training" can lead many men to suffer alone in stoic silence. But you are not alone, and you do not have to be. The benefit of psychotherapy with a therapist who specializes in psychotherapy with men, is that you are much more likely to feel heard and understood in a way that is right for you. Over my career, I have been honored help many men transform themselves. I am happy to offer a free initial phone consultation. Give me a call today.

Grief work, including complex grief has become a specialty for me. One thing I have learned from my studies of Carl Jung and Sandra Ingerman is the importance of honoring your soul when you are grieving. I will hold the safe space for you to actively move through your grief so that you don't end up with depression or soul loss. Grief is often an initiation into sacred grounds where you come to understand your own soul and its needs. I am always honored to guide a client through their grief, for it can be a spiritual invocation, a catalyst for coming into more authenticity and self love. I offer gentle processes for complex grief, forgiveness work and creating healthy closure.

Having a safe caring environment to talk about your sorrow is the beginning of the healing process. Everyone goes through grief and loss in their own unique time and way. I can help you hold that pain as you explore and work through the many related emotions and issues that surface along with loss. You can get through this and begin to move toward living your life again without that dark cloud over you. You need not struggle through this alone. I can help you. Call for a consultation today and begin feeling better sooner rather than later.

Losing a loved one is hard in so many ways. In addition to missing them, we often find ourselves evaluating our relationship with them and what remained unsaid. Grief follows its own course, and friends and family may not understand your own individual process of grieving. I support clients in experiencing their grief, working through unresolved relationship issues, and in their own time, coming to terms with what they have lost.

Grief and loss are natural and normal reactions to the end of a significant relationship or the loss of a loved one. However, when these feelings become overwhelming or debilitating, it may be helpful to seek out professional support through psychotherapy. During therapy, individuals can work through their feelings of grief and loss in a safe and supportive environment. They may also learn coping mechanisms and strategies to help them navigate the grieving process. Additionally, therapy can aid in the process of coming to terms with the loss, and provide an opportunity for individuals to process their emotions in a healthy way. It is important to note that grief is unique to each individual

I focus on providing a compassionate and individualized approach that recognizes the unique nature of each client’s grief experience. I create a safe, non-judgmental space where clients can express their feelings and explore their grief at their own pace. By combining evidence-based therapeutic techniques with empathetic support, I help clients process their emotions and develop personalized coping strategies. My goal is to empower clients to find meaning in their loss and to gradually rebuild their lives, fostering resilience and hope. This holistic approach ensures that clients not only address their immediate emotional needs but also cultivate long-term healing and personal growth.

The topic of Grief & Loss covers a broad spectrum from loss of a loved one, a relationship, a job...even change. It helps to work with a caring and empathetic counselor who has the life experience to really "get" where you are coming from, to help you move to the other side of things so you dispell those acute feelings of loss and sadness. In addition to my 10 years of private practice experience in this area, I spent several years as a volunteer with the Centre for Living with Dying in Santa Clara, working with people suffering from feelings associated with horrible loss. With gender identity issues, another specialty of mine, there is also often a sense of grief & loss to overcome.

Grief and loss comes in all forms, from the death of a pet, to moving, to the loss of a dream, to the death of a child or spouse, and more. My clients discover grief and loss are a process (which includes: shock/disbelief, anger, blaming, depression/sadness, bargaining, and denial), and how to move through that process to an increased state of acceptance. As their state of acceptance increases, my clients experience an increase in forgiveness, healing, freedom and hope for the present and future. My clients see how they can begin to feel good about their life and future again.

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 dont 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 and loss are universal human experiences, though few of us are given the tools or the support we need to express our grief, or, when the time is right, make our way back to life after loss. We are each unique in our response to the loss of people and things that are dear to us. Nevertheless, it does not serve us well either to try to ignore our experiences of painful loss or to keep them at the center of our experience for the rest of our days. I help people move through their grief at a pace that makes sense to them, and I help them, over time, to value the many gifts from who or what has been lost for their ongoing experience of 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.

Whether it is the loss of a friend or family member or the ending of a marriage or relationship, the pain of loss is a powerful time to grieve and to reflect about the meaning of your own life. Therapy for grief and loss can offer the opportunity to change and grow in profound and deep ways due to the vulnerability of emotions that may normally be unfelt or unexpressed. It is an opportune time to get support and to share your internal world with another.

My practice is centered around helping my clients find their own unique paths to healing from grief and loss. I use a combination of psychoanalytically-informed therapy and psychodynamic therapy to help people find the courage to be with and move through their pain. My goal is to provide comfort and support to my patients, while also helping them to uncover their hidden strengths and resources. I believe in the power of meaningful relationships and strive to create a safe and secure space for my patients to explore their feelings and experiences.

I personally experienced a great deal of grief and loss in my 20's so feel I bring my own personal experience to helping others deal with this. Losing people we love is one of the hardest things we will face in our lives, and getting help and support can be invaluable. I will help you process your feelings, feel cared for and supported through the process, and guide you.

You may be in the throws of it right now. Perhaps it is a death. Perhaps it is the end of a relationship. Perhaps it is a job or abandonment. There are many things that trigger our grief and loss. I carve out a sacred space that is just for YOU. You may need to cry. You may need to yell. You may need your pain to be seen. You may need to bargain or to blame yourself for a while. We can do this together while making sure you are on a path towards transformation. Having somebody that really listens and really gets it is the first step towards healing. If you are experiencing a deep grief or loss in your life, you owe it to yourself to go through this painful process supported.

I help clients navigate grief and loss by welcoming their deep feelings as a part of the process and navigating them carefully when they become overwhelming. Grief is a growth process like other difficult experiences, and I help clients find the resilience inside themselves to both honor their loss while getting stronger. By honoring the pain of the loss, we can move into a new phase of life that allows for thriving.

Have you recently experienced a death, the loss of a partner, a friend or pet? Grief, anger and difficulty functioning are normal but very challenging responses to loss. Most people tell themselves they must reach closure, but this takes more time than most people realize. Don't isolate or just tell yourself to be strong- lets work it through together.

Each person has a unique relationship and memories when there is a loss. I work with you to explore those relationships and work to mend and honor the relationship and memories in a way that is meaningful to you. I will give you space to talk about your grief. We will work on mending the hurt that may exist from guilt or anger. Honor the relationship as you begin to heal from the loss.

More than 35 million Americans are living with some form of chronic mental or physical illness or disability. The vast majority depend upon their families for care. Caring for a family member who is ill can have a dramatic effect upon a family. Although it can provide opportunities for closeness, it can also be stressful. If you or someone you love is ill, you may need psychological support to continue to live life as optimally as possible. You may also need help in processing your grief, especially if your loved one has become debilitated or has died. Please call me to discuss your particular needs and how counseling can help. I can be reached at 415-533-9724.

Grief and loss can affect many areas of your life. Whether the type of loss you are experiencing is of a loved one, due to health challenges, location/geographical changes, friendship loss or career loss, it is important to give yourself a safe space and the needed time to process this new chapter of your life. Therapy can provide that space to discuss your process and how loss has impacted you. As your therapist, I will hold space with you and honor your experiences however they arrive.