Grief and Loss Counselling in Gananoque, ON.

Grief is a complex emotion requiring a safe space in which to express the aspects of it that may feel uncomfortable and that often shift and change over time. The difficult thing about grief is often there are things left unexpressed. No one imagines that the conversation they have with a loved one will be the last time they talk. Loss can mean grieving the absence of a relationship that is different from what we had hoped. It can be the death or departure of someone, human or pet, who held an important place in our lives. It can also be the loss of an opportunity or the potential for happiness. As with all deep emotional responses, I provide a safe space to explore feelings and to mourn.

What makes grief so painful? Perhaps it's because we experience a double loss. The first is losing a loved one, the second is losing a part of our ourselves. This is why the familiar saying, "you gotta let go," can sometimes make things worse. Instead of letting go, I'm interested in how we can bring people closer: closer to what we hold dear, closer to what we cherished most… In doing so, we can begin to develop a new relationship with our departed loved one, and simultaneously offer comfort and healing to parts of ourselves.

Processing loss is painful, confusing and often isolating. This is not something that is as simple as progressing through "stages" in order and typically involves emotions that we have been taught to avoid or suppress. Working with a therapist to unpack and go through grief and loss can offer some space and perspective that is not there when we talk with friends and family. Here you can have a non-judgmental space to take the time to work this out in the way that you need. This is not always easy, but we can navigate this together.

We all grieve differently; there is no right or wrong way to grieve. It is a uniquely personal experience. My therapeutic approach is to meet my clients where they are and address their current needs. That may be sitting in a safe space and expressing your emotions, talking about how life will be different after the loss or focusing on self-care. I will provide guidance, validation, and support but this journey is yours so I will check in with you regularly to ensure that your needs are being met. Please contact me if you would like to book a free consultation.

Addressing grief and loss in therapy has profound benefits by providing a supportive environment to process emotions, express feelings, and find meaning after the loss. I can help you navigate the stages of grief, reduce feelings of isolation, and possibly preventing complicated grief or depression. Through therapy, I can help you develop coping strategies, build resilience, and ultimately find a path toward healing and acceptance.

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.