Grief and Loss Counselling in Orillia, ON.

First, my condolences... The death of a loved one or the loss of a significant relationship is the most stressful event we can experience. I can offer you practical support and strategies to cope with your loss as well as to establish new meaning. I also provide therapeutic support for those who anticipate the loss of a loved one during at end of life care as well as helping prepare individuals with their end of life transition.

Grief and loss are often associated with death. However, we experience grief and loss in our daily lives, whether we lose a job, a relationship, a friend, a house, etc. Learning to cope with the grief and loss in our lives is important to living a healthy life. Grief and loss are not linear processes. You may experience stage 5 one day and stage 2 the following – and that’s okay. At the Reflection Centre, our team of trained professionals are here to help support you through the stages of grief and assist you in coping with the losses in your life.

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.

Many people have ideas about how grief should look or feel based on expectations from family, society, or the media. There are so many experiences and events that deserve be mourned, whether society recognizes them or not, and your feelings about the loss are valid. Your experience of grief is unique to you and there is no correct way to process your loss, which is why I work collaboratively with clients to explore meaning in the thoughts and feelings that emerge as you begin your healing journey. Book a free consultation to learn more about my approach and explore if we are a good fit.

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

Overcoming feelings of grief and loss can be difficult and heart-wrenching, but you don't have to go through it alone. There are effective ways to process grief naturally and move forward with a renewed sense of awakening that leads to a fuller life. I utilize approaches developed by leading grief experts to ensure you receive the highest quality of care with the utmost compassion and understanding.

Grief is a normal process that each of us goes through when we have been separated from someone or something that we have felt connected to. There is no time limit to the experience. During this journey, you may find yourself grappling with a range of emotions, from anger and isolation to fear and many others. These emotions are all part of the normal process of grief, as we navigate our way through the loss. You can stay trapped in these feelings which will extend the time you grieve. Alternatively, you may consider new events from the perspective of how your loved one enjoyed or managed them in the past.

In my practice you will find a safe place to talk about and work through pain, and the feelings of sadness, confusion, guilt, shame and anger that often accompany the experience of grief and loss. Moving through grief and loss is your personal journey that takes time and is experienced uniquely from your own perspective. I provide therapy, counselling and and support for people who have lost a loved one such as a family member, friend or colleague whether through death or the ending of a relationship, those who have lost an important pet or animal companion or people who have experienced a loss that includes a loss of a job or personal identity.