Grief and Loss Counseling in Eastvale, CA.

Grief and loss can occur at any time in many ways during a person's life. It can be an actual death, illness, a loss of relationship or even a loss of a career or job, an identity. While normal and a part of life, they are often met with indifference and ignorance, sometimes fear. Thru the process of therapy grief and loss can be explored and understood, it can be a shared experience where there is value and acceptance.

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.

Grieving can be such a complicated process, filled with mixed emotions. Even seeking closure can feel confusing and wrong at times. Therapy can provide a place to gently face painful feelings and thoughts. You do not need to stay stuck in the suffering, confusion, or pain. By processing through these layers with a trained professional, you can gain understanding, peace, and healing.

Dr. Laura Adams is a licensed MFT and Psychoanalyst in Mission Viejo and Newport Beach CA, specializing in grief & loss counseling and psychotherapy. Dr. Adams counsels Individuals, families and couples using a Psychodynamic approach as a way to help patients to process feelings and experience following the loss of a loved one. Dr. Adams can be reached at (949) 244-1992. www.SouthOCTherapist.com

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.

Grief is a natural response to loss. It’s the emotional suffering you feel when something or someone you love is taken away. Often, the pain of loss can feel overwhelming. You may experience all kinds of difficult and unexpected emotions, from shock or anger to disbelief, guilt, and profound sadness. The pain of grief can also disrupt your physical health, making it difficult to sleep, eat, or even think straight. These are normal reactions to loss—and the more significant the loss, the more intense your grief will be.

Grief and loss is a part of so much more than many recognize in every day life. Most folks are familiar with the Kubler-Ross stages, but processing grief is much more than those five stages. There are tasks of mourning that can be explored and expanded with support in therapy. There are secondary losses as a result of an initial loss. Grief impacts how open we feel to new relationships in our lives. I work with clients to help them understand their responses to grief, move through their grief and feelings through expressive arts and verbal processing.

In treating grief and loss, it is essential to facilitate a safe, respectful therapeutic interaction, in which clients are able to tell their story, process and express their feelings of grief, explore the meaning of their loss, and revise their relationship with the deceased. Additionally, using cognitive and behavioral therapy techniques enable people to develop skills for coping with the anxiety, depression, and difficult emotions that may arise as a result of the grieving process.

The death of someone we love is devastating and painful for all of us. All of your feelings are "normal" and it is ok to allow yourself the opportunity to experience them. But sometimes the sad, anxious thoughts and feelings do not dimish and you may need help in dealing with your grief. I provide a safe and compassionate place for you to share your thoughts, feelings and memories as well as helpful stratagies to help you cope and find meaning in this life altering loss.

Grieving the loss of a relationship? Lost someone close to you, either through a breakup, divorce, or death? Struggling with the loss of a dream, a pet, or miscarriage? It can be very painful. While these feelings can be difficult, they are a normal reaction to loss. I can encourage you to share your feelings regarding this loss in your life in order to clarify them and gain insight into their causes. I can help you to develop effective strategies to cope with your grieving and loss. I can help you to appropriately grieve the loss in order to normalize your mood so you can return to your previous level of functioning. Call, click or text (949)791-7127 or (310)729-7971.

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.

Loss can take different forms, and going through loss is one of life's biggest challenges. I understand this and believe it is essential for those going through a loss to talk about it, feel it, and grieve it. In time, healing will occur but time itself does not heal. I will provide a safe place for you to explore how your loss affects your life and help you to use the resources, time, and tools necessary to not only get through it -- but grow through it -- and survive.

Gentleness and patience are the key words for those in the process of grief and loss. When working with those who have lost a loved one, whether that be a close family member or a beloved animal companion, gentleness, empathy, and patience are of utmost importance. When working with clients who are experiencing loss. I provide special space for silence. The profound experience of loss is unique to each individual and requires space for the pain of the loss to emerge and careful regard for the mulit-dimensional experience of the empty space left behind. We will honor the healing process while simultaneously creating opportunity for transition to hope in a new season of emergent life.

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.

A part of life we all face at some point is coping with grief or loss. Using tools to help you recover from the sadness or lonliness you may struggle with is helpful. In some cases people struggle with grief or loss from thier past that they may not have really dealt with. Using tools to deal with buried pain that surfaces and causes depression or anxiety helps you feel ready for the next pahse of your life!

Is your grief stopping you from living the fulfilling life you desire? I believe that while grief is a natural reaction to experiencing loss, the process differs for everyone. Grief can have physical, cognitive, behavioral, social, and philosophical dimensions. I work with individuals and families on processing grief as the difficult and eventual acceptance of loss. The loss becomes a vital part of one’s life narrative life rather than its center. Healthy grieving is a gradual process toward coping with the loss and developing a renewed interest in daily activities. I understand the devastation of loss. Please feel free to call me at 949.370.4726 or e-mail at info@southoccounseling.com.

Are you dying inside? Experiencing heartbreak that fills you with utter despair? Do friends and family keep telling you that it is time to “move on”? Do you feel that no one could possibly understand your pain? Please understand that YOUR EMOTIONS ARE NORMAL AND TO BE EXPECTED! I would like to help you recognize and understand the reactions that you may be feeling…feelings of sadness, frustration, confusion, anger, anxiety, numbness, and helplessness, all of which are normal. I will listen to you, support you, and I will not rush you. I will help you draw upon your own strengths and develop healthy coping mechanisms that will allow you to gradually recover and feel joy again.

Grief can be a difficulty beast to manage, a beast which can surface at any moment without warning and often comes in waves. When I’ve been grieving I’ve felt like I was in an emotional pong ball. With the aid of tools like EMDR CBT and guided visualizations I can help you to heal and leave the pain, loss, and grief in the past while holding on to the happy memories. Additionally, I can provide tools, coping skills, and other resources to help you manage this particular issue.

Unfortunately, grief and loss are inevitable in life and sometimes we need guidance to process all that we’re feeling. My approach is to validate their loss and allow them to speak openly about it and then help them find healthy connections to their loved ones through memories. So much of the time when there is a loss, all people hear is “time heals all wounds.” That is rarely helpful in getting your life back on track because that implies you need to wait awhile before feeling better! Through our work, you will slowly learn to adjust to the new reality of your life without your loved one. This might require incorporating a new routine or even adopting a new sense of identity.

Losing a friend, spouse, or family member is always a difficult trial. Nobody wants to experience or think about these types of events, but it's happened. Perhaps you've tried to cope, but it still hurts. There is help and support for you no matter what stage of grief you're in. We will help guide you through this unfortunate state in your life with all the care and support that you need. Many have made it through and hope can still be found! Reach out to us. You deserve to live again!

Our grief can benefit from having a safe, nonjudgmental space where we feel heard. This is especially important for teens and college students. Therapy goes at your pace, with your level of readiness for each step. Hope and healing are possible. There is meaning and purpose to be found in your pain. Though you will never forget your loved one, you can live in a way that honors them and their life's legacy.

People come and go in our lives and many times the emotions related to people leaving our lives is sometimes more than we can handle. The sadness and feelings of loss or separation is often disabling and we feel like we cannot move forward. Grief, loss and separation from someone can even be physically debilitating. Through grief and loss counseling, we will work with your emotional distress while we discover new paths to act in response to your emotional pain.

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.

You may feel confused, stressed, depressed, or crazy as you experience loss. Understanding the symptoms of grief is essential for gaining healing. A trained counselor can help you understand the normal reactions to grief and sort through the trauma related to your loss. A therapist can help you to understand your emotional states of denial, bargaining, anger, and depression associated with grief and make sure that your depression does not result in self injury or other unsafe thoughts or behaviors. If you want to feel normal again, then allow a counselor to help as you go through your grief. Not only will you feel better, but your family, friends, and coworkers will be glad you sought help.

Losing a loved one can be an overwhelming and life changing experience that devastates individuals and families. When the loss is sudden, people can actually experience PTSD. And even with time to prepare for the death of a loved one, it can still be an agonizing loss. Likewise, divorce can feel like a death and grief is a normal response to such a life altering event. Therapy can help immensely. Having someone to talk to who is compassionate and understanding is an amazing outlet for the pain. Learning tools to cope is another advantage of seeking professional counseling. A therapist can guide you through the stages of grief and help you to find peace and acceptance.