Grief and Loss Counseling in Ridley Park, PA.

Grief and Loss is an often overlooked experience of modern life. Death of a loved-one is usually when we acknowledge actively grieving. However, life is in many ways a series of losses (life shifts) and with each loss comes the necessity to grieve. When we do not navigate our losses with the process of actively grieving, each new loss compounds those that came before. Learning how to honour your heart as a source of strength and wisdom through loss - even though it's hurting - is your path to greater strength and resilience in life. Support is available through divorce/separation, ill health, unemployment, "empty nesters," loss of pet, trauma, loss of a relationship, moving, ageing.

In grief and traumatic loss therapy, we recognize that there's no universal formula for healing, nor do we suggest that you "get over" your loss. Grief can be a lifelong journey, morphing in shape as time passes. At times, it may feel like an emotional roller coaster, unpredictable and intense; at others, it may numb you. Our mission as therapists specializing in grief loss is to guide you in reshaping your grief into a more manageable form and restructuring your life after your loss. We'll explore ways to honor and maintain a lasting connection with your loved one through collaboration. We firmly believe that even when someone leaves us physically, the love and connection we shared endure.

To help a client cope through grief and loss, I sometimes use the example of how an oyster forms a pearl. The oyster ingests a grain of sand that causes pain, and which cannot be removed or dissolved (just like we cannot eliminate the pain of missing a loved one). So the oyster begins to encase the grain of sand with layers of calcium-like substance, that makes the grain of sand easier to carry and hold, without the rough edges. Coping through grief and loss can involve learning how to unpack, experience, and adjust how we carry the pain. Therapy can help you soften and encase the pain of loss, forming a "pearl" around it that is easier to carry with you, and perhaps make it more precious.

Losing a loved one can be incredibly debilitating, the grief often feels endless like a bottomless pit- mornings are awful and nights even worse. I provide empathic grief counseling with a proactive style to help individuals walk through this pain and learn to live their life with peace again. When you feel like you need more to lean on than family and friends, help is here.

My approach to counseling someone in a place of loss is to create a space for the raw, authentic emotions and thoughts that can, at time, be hard to say out loud. I also find it important to allow the grief process to unfold at the pace my client feels they need. I want to offer you a space where you go through all the emotions, express all the thoughts, and do all the things you need to to experience healing.

Grief affects our lives in many different ways. Often we are not aware of its impact physically, emotionally or spiritually or how a loss has impacted us even years later. REACH Counseling Services offers support that encompasses all these dimensions and understand that grief and loss can be healed and that life can move forward with hope and healing. We use a variety of approaches to help you deal with loss and grief.

Grief and loss are inevitable in life, and can be our times of greatest pain, and also sometimes, greatest growth. Most people think first about the death of a loved one when they think about grief, but it also be the loss of a home, a friend, a marriage, a job, and so on. These events can sometimes also lead to profound grief. Often friends don't understand or know what to say. Sometimes, they even seem to disappear, when you're needing them most. You're not alone if you've experienced some of these phenomena. I'd like to help you through this painful time.

Whether you are grieving due to the death of a loved one, ending of a significant relationship or the loss of the life you expected, it is a process. We all grieve for different reasons & in different ways, but it is important to allow yourself to grieve so that you can move forward. I'll work with you to understand the grief process including the stages of grief. An important part of the process is helping you identify & express the variety of feelings & thoughts you are likely experiencing. Often, human instinct is to avoid or numb what is painful. Unfortunately, this can prevent healing, extend the pain & create other problems. Instead, I'd like to help you find your way through the pain.

Our approach emphasizes setting boundaries, managing emotional energy, and practicing self-compassion. By utilizing the Companioning Model of Bereavement Caregiving, we create a healing environment where shared experiences foster understanding and growth. This model focuses on being present with your grief rather than trying to fix it, honoring your unique journey. Our goal is to support you in moving forward with renewed hope and resilience, helping you find peace and acceptance during difficult times.

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.

You can grow from grief. I can help you build the skills to better manage your loss. Grief has no infinite definition. There is grief associated with death. The death may be sudden, or it may be due to a long term illness. There is grief associated with relationship loss. This may be due to separation, divorce or loss of friendship. Catastrophic loss may be loss of a job, financial status, accident or medical illness. You can move on and grow from your experience.

Grief and loss is a normal part of human experience. We can too often rush to pathologize and/or attempt to get rid of the feelings of loss and grief, something to stay away from. However, letting our grief be, or letting ourselves simply experience grief, making it a normal experience can help us not only heal from loss but move forward and grow from our painful experiences.

Grief is our response to loss. Grief, fully experienced, allows us to go on with life. Each person's response is unique. You may be grieving the death of a loved one; you may be dealing with a serious illness; you may be mourning the loss of a relationship; you may be dealing with the loss of a job. Wherever you are in the grief process, I offer a safe, empathetic relationship to guide you through the stages of anger, sadness, justifying, letting go. We will work together to facilitate healing.

Grey Matters International and the work of Kevin J. Fleming, Ph.D approaches issues of grief & loss through the lens of innovation----instead of growing the same neural networks responsible for the pain in weekly therapy sessions, we reset the brain to move forward quicker and efficiently by working on the stuck limbic system so as to empower the person with more success and traction. For no one wants to stay in a grief mode for too long; but when you don’t include the brain in your work with someone, you risk describing the water to them while they drown and calling it success. Contact Grey Matters International, Inc now at kevin@kevinflemingphd.com or 877-606-6161.

Grief and loss can be particularly challenging areas to address in therapy. They are often require long-term therapy. Grief and loss does not just happen once, particularly in the event of the loss of a loved one. When the grief/loss is connected to that of a loved one, most people still have some level of grief or sadness even when therapy is complete. This is normal as the loss will forever change the person's life. Much of therapy focuses on normalizing this experience, helping to determine ways they might want to stay connected to the person they lost, or just provide the space to process those feelings. Loss can also include loss of status, finances, and relationships.

This is a lived experience that we will encounter. We experience grief through the loss of a loved one, but we also grieve the loss of a friendship, job, church community, and things that we have cherished. What happens when we grieve? Who walks with us during our grieving journey? You do not have to experience or walk this new journey alone. A trusted therapist can help you create a safe space and walk with you.

Experiencing a difficult loss is disorienting and can feel paralyzing. It can also bring up pain from the past that you thought was long gone, or cause you to question your view of the world. This is difficult but normal. It is important to talk about your grief with someone who really understands. I offer a safe place to work through your grief in your own way, without rushing, without having to put on a pretend smile or a brave face. I cannot undo your loss, but therapy can help you begin to find meaning in it, to make sense of the world again, and to find practical ways to cope.

When one person in a family experiences grief or loss, everyone is affected. Sometimes an entire family struggles to adjust to a death or a cross-country move or to a divorce. In any of these cases, a person's need for comfort can conflict with their emotions, causing confusion and conflict among people who are trying to support one another. In addition, children and teenagers can react to loss very differently than do adults, so the signs of pain or distress are not obvious. If there has been a loss for someone in your family or there is an impending loss (planned separation due to marital conflict, children leaving for college), I would welcome the opportunity to help.

The grieving process can be different for every individual. It is also an opportunity to make meaning out of our loss. My approach is to help in the meaning making process and help with working toward a sense of acceptance. I have years of experience helping individuals through the grieving process and focus on how sense can be made of loss and how to grow through this painful human experience.