Grief and Loss Counseling in Clearwater, FL.

Grief and loss can be painful, challenging and overwhelming. Often for the first time we are open to conflicting emotions and may be unprepared to cope with this change in our life. Counseling can help facilitate a healthy passage through the grief process. We can more easily move gradually and naturally from being stuck in the cycle of grief to learning to integrate and embrace the loss in to our life. By gently allowing acceptance to emerge, we can allow ourselves to be comforted by our memories, feel less trapped, and continue to live and grow healthier day by day. Realize you are not alone on this journey through grief.

With my experience in ministry, in counseling, and in life-coaching, I’ve helped men work through the complicated emotions around grief and loss. As men we feel pressure to be a “rock” for everyone else. Then our wives tell us to open up and feel our feelings. But do they really want to see us fall apart? Like many things, the truth is somewhere in the middle. Chances are that you’ve bravely put your feelings on hold to care for others, and regardless of what the world says, there’s love and nobility in that. And at the same time, you need a place to be real and work through the pain. If you’re ready to take the next step and face what needs to be faced, man to man, I’m here to help.

We often think only of death of a loved one. But loss and grief can come from loss of finances, positions, relationships, status, friendships, physical well being, and pets. One of my grad school professors was terminally ill. She devoted her attention to teaching us students about loss, death, and dying. She became a renowned lecturer on the topic and collaborated with Dr. Kubler-Ross, one of the pioneer researchers on the topic. The early training I received has been utilized and built upon by me throughout my career. I offer compassion and guidance helping individuals normalize the feelings and emotions that may at times feel unreal.

We help our client to heal and process grief and loss through holding safe space for them to work through difficult emotions and experiences in a supportive environment. Everyone grieves differently, but it can be very beneficial to receive support from loved ones and therapists as you cope with grief and loss. Collaborative therapy, Emotionally-Focused therapy, grief psychoeducation, and techniques such as EMDR (Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and ART (Accelerated Resolution Therapy) can be especially helpful.

As an experienced Christian Counselor and ordained pastor, I’ve supported many men through the grief process. If you’re grieving, I will provide a supportive space for you to process your emotions. Because grief is a normal part of being human, I can’t take it away or rush you through it. However, I can help you identify barriers to grief, and help you prevent the grief process from becoming stuck. I know grief professionally. But I also know grief personally. Losing one of my best friends and my beloved grandparents was hard enough, but facing the untimely death of my father was, and is, a uniquely painful experience. If given the chance, I would be honored to help you process your grief.

Life can throw some seriously tough challenges our way, and when we go through difficult losses, it can hit us like a ton of bricks. Sometimes, these losses pile up, and it's like an avalanche of emotions that we can't escape. I'm here to walk alongside you shedding light through what seems like a dark path. I get it because I've been through tough times too. I use some special therapies like EMDR and Trauma Informed Therapy that can help find hope and renewed purpose. Many find this relief in 1 to 3 sessions. It's like giving your heart some room to breathe and find its way back to hope in the midst of deep sadness.

Profile For: Dr. John Knight,PhD,LMHC Serving as a Grief Counselor with an emphasis on a gentle and empathic approach to care. With service and post doctoral training in Clinical Pastoral Counseling. Licensed Mental Health Counselor since 1996. With former service as a Non Denominational Pastor 14 years. PhD in Family, Marital and Domestic Relations Counseling. PhD in General Psychology.

A lot of people run from grief work - I don't. I understand the pain of loss and I will help you through the darkness. Grief is a very profound and personal experience. The pain of loss never goes away completely - that person will always be an important part of your life and experience. I am happy to help you walk through that pain so that you are not alone in your grief.

Grief is hard. Grief is natural. Animals grieve. Grief is something we feel deep in our bodies and can be disorienting and destabilizing. Grief brings up questions about who we are, the world, the existence or goodness of God, and purpose and futility of life. Dealing with grief, especially when the loss is traumatic and unexpected, requires a slow and tender space to allow the grief to move through our body and to settle in our hearts with warmth and memory. I am here to help you grieve the loss of your loved one, experience, health , future or even your beloved pet. .