Grief and Loss Counseling in Spruce Pine, NC.

People who grieve and mourn well, go on to live well and to love well. Effective mourning is to take what is inside and bring it out. My approach to Grief work is to basically "pull up a chair" to the bereaved and together honor what was lost and then to help the person find new possibility, hope and meaning for themselves and for the change that is occuring. Ultimately I can help you move from resistance to acceptance.

Grief is part of life, occurring anytime we lose something precious to us. Obviously when we lose loved ones, but also from losing pets, friendships, jobs - even hopes or dreams. Since everyone experiences loss, learning to manage grief is important to live life fully. Otherwise even small losses may automatically cause debilitating sadness by connecting to our unresolved grief. Often even caring friends or family become uncomfortable if you express grief to them, because it triggers unfinished grief in their own life. Professional counselors understand the grief process and are prepared to stay fully present with you, as you move through these deeply challenging times of life.

Working through grief and loss can be confusing and feel isolating. With my approach, I can walk alongside you through the different stages of grief, help you identify the unique ways you are currently grieving now and will need to grieve in the future, and bring you back to a place of resolution regarding your loss. I'm available for free 20-minute phone consultations or by email to further discuss your needs, answer any questions you might have, and outline what the therapy process can look like for you.

Grief, and how it is processed, can be widely different person to person. Addtiionally, there are many sources of grief including loss of a loved one, loss or significant change in a relationship, loss of a job, a move, or even missed opportunities. I use various techniques including CBT, narrative therapy, and brief solution based therapies as well as creative and art derived techniques to help a person effectively process grief.

The grieving process is intensely personal and intensely painful. It can feel as if the world has gone crazy and is spinning away without you. How do you make sense of anything in the face of such pain? The simplest tasks can feel impossible. Going to the grocery store, visiting the bank, walking the dog, and even making your morning coffee can trigger a heart-wrenching ache. With mindfulness and support, you CAN begin to heal and weave your loss into the tapestry of your life. You will laugh again, dream again, and love again.

I have had 25 years of experience counseling persons in grief and loss. Even though grief is painful, I remind clients that it is not forever as I help them understand the various aspects and the process. It can be healing to know that you are not going through the whole thing alone. Sometimes loss stirs up other issues, but usually it doesn't, and can be negotiated more quickly than the initial pain seems to indicate. Sometimes working with the body is very helpful in loss, and I help clients relese tension they may not have been aware of. I am here to be present, to be a guide and to help you through the entire process.

I utilize emdr and hypnotherapy to assist clients to increase connections in their life and decrease isolation and heartbreak. EMDR decreases the shock and pain of grief and any trauma related to the loss and the relationship with the loved ones. Hypnotherapy helps heal and soften the loss and grief and increases resources internally and externally