Grief and Loss Counselling in Kingston, ON.

Everyone experiences loss. This could be a loss of a family member, spouse, friend, or even a beloved pet. With such a loss, a rollercoaster of emotions and changes can occur for weeks, months, or even years. My role as a counsellor is to listen and provide space to process the loss. As counselling moves forward then we can process difficult thoughts and feelings about the loss (e.g., survivor's guilt, previous abuse, and/or changes), and support with realignment with what is important. This may allow you to RE-participate in life again, accept this new chapter, and move forward the way you see feel is best. I would be honoured if you reached out to support you through this journey.

[I OFFER VIDEO SESSIONS THROUGHOUT ALBERTA AND ONTARIO]. You are hurting now, and I understand that. I have been a psychologist since 1986 with plenty of hard-earned wisdom. I too have experienced grief and loss many times in my life. I can help. Let us chat about the pain you are feeling now. Book with me right now by going to https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=14249112

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.

Being alive means experiencing inevitable loss, which is normally followed by grief and recovery. The loss can be the loss of a person, image, ideal, or even a hope. However, the grief and recovery can sometimes be complicated. Every person follows a unique pattern of grief processing. The key for a healthy recovery lies in understanding this pattern in a supported environment. The therapy is about helping the client to get to this insight. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to see if we are a good fit.

My training with the complex facets of bereavement counselling is from McGill's School of Social Work. There, I learned the importance of validating a person's feelings and varying reactions in a non-judgemental way. My focus is to provide a caring, empathic response to encourage emotional healing. My theoretical framework is largely based on the work of Therese A. Rando's 6 stages: 1- Recognize loss, 2- React to loss, 3-Recollect and Re-Experience the lost relationship, 4-Relinquish and start a process of accomodation to the loss (not necessarily of accepting it) by working on 5- Readjust and 6- Reinvesting in life. I also use the Grief Recovery Handbook by James & Friedman.

With Gestalt therapy the five tasks of mourning, are supported: (1) To accept the reality of the loss, (2) To experience the pain of grief, (3) To adjust to the environment in which the deceased is missing, (4) To withdraw (some) emotional energy and reinvest it in another relationship, and (5) To find a place for and maintain a continuing bond with what we lose, however not in any specific order. A gestalt therapist supports the bereaved with an emphasis on a "loving authentic presence and communication that allows expression of EACH other’s personhood" so that feelings are honored and explored at the clients own pace. The here and now is emphasized and that is what leads to support/change

After loosing someone close to you it is often hard to find emotional balance. Therapy can provide you with a safe space to process your loss and the difficult emotions that often follow. Feeling sad, lonely, angry, and confused are all normal and healthy emotions to experience during this time. Working with a therapist can help you through these tough emotions as well as how to feel normal and happy again.

There are many forms and causes of grief and loss: death, miscarriage, loss of employment, loss of a dream or goal. Every loss is validated . We explore how you think about the loss, what you do to feel better. I can help you process loss and begin the grieving process. There are a myriad of emotions one can feel while grieving (pain, sadness, anger, guilt, frustration, relief). There is no right way to mourn a loss.

Grief and loss are parts of life, and yet, everyone grieves in their own way. Grief can be complicated by other conditions, most notably depression. The person’s level of dependency on the departed can also cause complications. The grieving process often involves many difficult and complicated emotions. Yet joy, contentment, and humour do not have to be a lost memory. I work with you to help you recover from grief and loss and find your way back to feeling joyful again.

Loosing some one to death, the loss of relationships, or being separated from people, places or things that are important to you are all things that people experience grief over. I use a compassionate and narrative approach to addressing these issues. Clients can expect to examine the stories they have been told or are telling themselves about these experiences and be encourage to re-author those stories so that they support a preferred way of living and healing from these experiences.

Grief is like a gut-punch that seems to never subside. With a compassionate approach and gentle style, I help individuals navigate the complexities of grief, providing tools to cope with the pain of loss while honoring their unique experiences. Through empathetic listening and tailored therapeutic techniques, clients will learn to understand their grief, develop healthy coping strategies, and find a renewed sense of hope and meaning in life.

Anytime we lose someone significant we experience grief and loss. But what about when something in our life changes? What about when our hopes or dreams get shattered? This too is loss and it too causes grief. If either of these experiences get in the way of your daily life functioning, then it might be time to talk someone. Let's connect and help you navigate these deep emotions.

Grief and loss are inevitable and an inescapable part of life. Grief can of course include the loss of someone to death, but it can also be ambiguous. Ambiguous loss can include the loss of relationships, family connections, our identities, our careers, or even who we were pre-pandemic? Grief around post-traumatic events or grieving the loss of a childhood you never had are also types of losses and grief that I can help you with.