Grief and Loss Counselling in Welland, ON.

Grief is the emotional suffering we feel when we lose something or someone important to us. This can include the loss of friend, partner, or family member, a change in life circumstances, death of a pet, getting fired, loss of health, safety, a dream... anything that we once had and now do not. The intensity and process can be unique for each person, but like all other emotions that impact the quality of our life, ignoring it or suppressing it does not work. Seeking support as we move through the various stages of grief is very helpful. Planning for our healing is crucial so that we do not become 'stuck' in the pain. A skilled therapist can assist us during this vulnerable time.

Over the course of our lives, we experience various losses and we grieve in many different ways. It can be difficult to know how to begin working through grief and you do not have to be alone in this process. I believe that grieving is a journey and I welcome the opportunity to support you in your path to healing. Within therapy, we can explore some of the emotions you are experiencing, unpack expectations about what grieving looks like, discuss possibilities for connection with what’s most important within your life, and consider possible ways to honour the loss(es) you have experienced. Contact me or book a free consultation if you wish to learn more.

Grief is something we carry with us for the rest of our lives, although it transforms how it manifests within us with time, healing, and support from both professionals and loved ones. The greatest understanding I have about the five stages of grief is that there is no timeline for when the stages will be experienced, nor are they always experienced one after the other. In working with me to process grief, you will find you leave our sessions better equipped to face each new day, despite the tremendous loss you have experienced.

Grief is a complex experience that may be accompanied by a diversity of difficult emotions that are challenging to work around. However, you are not alone. Each of us have a unique relationship with grief, and I am here to support you in discovering what that relationship looks like for you. You don’t have to know where to start or where you are going in your pathway to healing. There is no correct way to grieve. Contact me to book a free consultation to see if we would be 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

Loss and grief are devastating. Sudden loss is a shock. Long, drawn-out loss is exhausting. Loss changes our expectations of daily life. It brings disbelief, despair, anger. Divorce, a wayward child, a job layoff, poor health – all disrupt our expectations of how our life should be. Then there is the pain of death's finality. To stop hurting can feel like a betrayal of the one we lost. The grief is terrible, but it is all we have of the loved one. We finally need to realize that we cannot go on living in constant pain. We need other ways to fill the emptiness, new routines, new roles, and new interactions. We need to redirect our energy. Counselling helps you to find the road ahead.

The experience of loss may result from many life experiences including the passing of a human loved one or a beloved pet, the ending of a relationship, job loss, or changes to our physical or mental capabilities. Grief is one of the most challenging of human emotions. Together, we will navigate your unique grieving process to enable you to experience growth and empower you to create a life you can accept and enjoy despite your loss.

Losing a loved one can be one of life's most personally challening events. It can lead you to re-evaluate you won position in life. I will work with you to understand how to continue caring for yourself as you move through the process of grieving. When you are ready to, we can discuss any changes you might want to make in your lifestyle in response to your loss.

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.