Grief and Loss Counseling in Little Ferry, NJ.

Suffering a loss of a loved one can be devastating. You do not have to do it alone. Studies show that when one has a strong support team this can greatly help in their grieving process. I will work with you (and your family- if you so chose) to understand the grieving process, the emotional, psychological and spiritual aspects to help you get through this most difficult time.

At Tona Therapy, we specialize in supporting individuals navigating the complexities of grief and loss. We provide a compassionate space to explore emotions, honor your healing journey, and integrate loss into life. Our personalized therapy employs trauma-informed approaches and mindfulness techniques to develop coping strategies and foster resilience. Find meaning, resilience, and renewed hope with Tona Therapy's expert guidance through challenging times.

The benefit of my approach for someone who is grieving and who has suffered a great loss is that I actively teach you how to accept things that cannot be changed. Only by achieving real acceptance can the individual carry on in life despite the loss. Acceptance in REBT does not mean liking or even denying the loss. Acceptance in REBT means to acknowledge that a great loss has occurred and to feel healthy negative feelings of sadness, even great sadness. The benefit that results is that one can still have some degree of enjoyment in life. One can function without guilt and do well in life despite having suffered a great loss. This is leverage over the loss, the thing that cannot be changed.

Grief and loss are inevitable consequences of having deep, authentic, intimate relationships. When people we love, or things we value leave it hurts. That is healthy and normal. Unfortunately, this grief can sometimes feel infinite, especially when there were things left unsaid or unforgiven. In these times returning to a life that is purposeful and meaningful might begin to seem impossible. Grief and loss counseling will help you to find peace with the past. Through making sense of loss and letting go you will be able to move into the present with meaning and purpose.

I can help you learn how to manage and release the deep pain of grief and loss. Grief is a natural feeling that is a result of loving with all your heart. The loving action is to embrace your very difficult feelings and express the heartache you feel. I create a safe environment for you to go into these challenging feelings and learn how to let them go.

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 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 is a constant. Here at Creative Now Therapy, we endeavor to support you in navigating an ever-changing landscape. We understand that our reactions to grief and loss have infinite expressions, and we are here to help you move through them, whatever they may be. We understand that at times we may feel nothing and at other times, we may be drowning in feeling, and everything in between. Sometimes it feels difficult to relate to our world and its people, and sometimes our loss helps us connect deeply with others. We can help. We're with you and we're here to help you be with you. Get in touch with us today.

Grief and loss is, unfortunately, a normal part of living. There is no single "correct" way to grieve: different cultures and even individuals from the same culture grieve differently. The only consistent feature is that grief takes time. The most effective thing anyone can do for someone grieving is to be there—to listen, to empathize, to walk along with the grief. There is no "fixing" grief. But counseling can help prevent normal grief from developing into major depression or other mental health conditions.

In grief therapy, we create a safe space to explore emotions, memories, and the impact of loss. Through compassionate listening and validation, we honor the unique journey of grief. Together, we identify coping strategies and self-care practices to navigate the ups and downs. I integrate techniques such as mindfulness, narrative therapy, and expressive arts to help process emotions and find meaning in the loss. While grief may feel overwhelming, therapy offers support and guidance to gradually integrate the loss into your life, fostering healing and resilience. You're not alone in this journey; I'm here to walk alongside you every step of the way.

Personal loss such as a loved one or due to trauma needs to be mourned in order to move on in one's life. This difficult process requires a 'witness' to the emotional loss. Psychoanalysis serves the function of enabling a person to speak about the loss. It enables an individual to remember in a way that enhances the individual survivor.

If it is a past loss we will talk about that relationship and what it meant to you, and see how that person affected you in your current life and what he/she meant to you. If it is a current or impending loss, we can focus on day-to-day issues to lessen anxiety, and process how to handle what time is left. Practical issues may be discussed. if you find yourself obsessing we will probably focus on feeling, if you find yourself lost in feeling, we may focus on verbalizing your thoughts and your feelings. If you are overwhelmed by depression and find it difficult to function, I will make recommendations for medications and/or alternative strategies.

In my approach to grief and loss therapy, I provide a compassionate and understanding space where clients can process their emotions at their own pace. Grieving is a deeply personal experience, and I focus on helping individuals navigate the complex feelings of sadness, anger, and confusion that often accompany loss. Through tailored therapeutic techniques, I assist clients in finding meaning, honoring their memories, and rebuilding their lives. My goal is to foster healing, resilience, and a sense of peace during this difficult journey.

Grief is a natural response to a loss, and loss can come in many forms: loss of a relationship, friendship, health, job, financial stability, safety; death of a loved one or even a pet; or a loved one’s serious illness. It is normal to feel sad, numb, angry, even guilty, following a loss, but these feelings should become less intense over time. In therapy, together we can explore if the pain and feelings surrounding your loss are so constant and severe that they keep you from resuming your life, if you feel “stuck” in an intense state of morning and how to overcome and learn to live again.

Grief is about loss and the threat of loss. The stronger the bond between us and the person we have lost, the more we will hurt both physically and emotionally. When we are torn from a family member or friend, a part of us dies as well. Our natural need for attachment gets severed, often bringing the return of childhood fears. The world feels like a more dangerous place. As a result, we may feel out of control. We ache to have the loved person back. We know in the rational part of our minds that the person is not coming back, but it also seems impossible to let him go. We will remain emotionally conflicted until we can release our loved ones. Because letting go is so difficult, we must do it slow....

Relationship endings are a guaranteed part of life that everyone experiences. When a relationship concludes – whether through death, divorce or some other reason – it is common to review it, examine it and even wish that something about it was different. Perhaps we regret something we said or longed to hear something from the other person. Endings are accompanied by conclusions to our hopes and dreams for the future. My approach to working with grieving clients is to permit them fully feel their loss and to process their grief in their own way and at their own pace. When it comes to grieving clients I will join with them in their loss and will encouraging them to feel all the feelings that surface about the person and the relationship they shared.

Suffering with grief and loss is often a lonely place. Others may try to comfort you, offering sympathy which is well-intended but often doesn’t help you heal. Talking to an experience therapist can help you move through the stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. The stages are normal, and although the process may be painful, reaching acceptance is the stage where you realize that although you may miss the person, your life is still worth living and can be productive and happy.

I teach my clients about the stages of grief. This often which helps to normalize what they are experiencing. It can be so overwhelming and isolating to lose someone you love. I give clients a safe place to explore all of their emotions around their loss. I work to help clients feeling grounded again and take the steps necessary to find a new normal.

Dr. Joel Stukalin and Dr. Sara Mandelbaum have guided many clients like you through their grieving processes. Since each client is special and unique, we work with the utmost sensitivity to help you during this emotional period so often filled with many memories and feelings. Some clients also experience unfinished emotional business with the deceased, which we work through with substantial empathic understanding and patience. This sensitive collaboration with Dr. Joel and Dr. Sara is invaluable in supporting grieving clients to achieve a sense of therapeutic closure and relief. Clients have stated that doing this necessary grief work with Dr. Joel and Dr. Sara has restored their lives.

Grief and loss can be triggered by many things; the death of a loved one, the loss of a beloved mate, being let go at a valued job, and many others. When we cannot get over the loss by ourselves, a therapist point us down new roads. Suddenly vistas of possibility begin to open up, and what once seemed hopelessly sad begins to take on its proper importance.

We all experience loss at one point in our lives, but that doesn’t make it easier. Whether you’ve experienced the loss of a loved one, a relationship, a job, or something else meaningful to you, loss can leave us feeling alone, depressed, confused, and empty. I have extensive experience working with children and adults who have experienced loss and complicated grief. I provide a safe, gentle, and non judgemental environment and use a mix of trauma focused cognitive behavioral and insight oriented interventions. Through our work together you will begin to process your grief experience, learn coping skills to get you through the day, honor what you have lost, and to ultimately heal.

When I very young I lost my fiancée. I went about life as if nothing had happened until it caught up to me. I was trying to open a door with a key and it wouldn't work. I found myself crying and felt out of control. This happened because I didn't want to grieve. What I learned is you can't skip this process. It will catch up to you at the strangest times. I can walk you through this without bottoming out. Ignoring it and avoiding it doesn't work

All of us experience grief and loss in our lives. There is no escaping it. Unfortunately, there are many times that you will experience a loss that society does not sanction as "grief worthy." Loss of an early pregnancy, miscarriage, loss of a valued career or relationship, and the loss of a beloved pet often hit us hard, and result in feelings of grief. I listen with empathy and concern, and will assist you through the grieving process with sensitivity and support, while offering you effective ways of coping with your feelings.

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.

How do you navigate the unimaginable? Children often look to adults, but what if the adults are grieving too? Adolescents may want to “stay strong” for their parents and siblings, but that does not leave room for their own grief. Talk-therapy will provide your teen with the emotional support and space they need. They will learn about the grief process (it is different for everyone, and there is no “right way” to do it) and healthy coping skills. In our work together, they will label their strong feelings of loss and communicate their needs safely. Your teen will have ownership over the entire process. We will go at their own pace. I am here to listen and support them every step of the way.