Grief and Loss Counseling in Anacortes, WA.

Is grief making it difficult to function in daily life, leaving you unable to enjoy living? Are you feeling overwhelmed by excessive bitterness, guilt or anger? Do you find yourself withdrawing from friends and family with near constant feelings of despair? If you find you answered yes to several or all of these questions, your grief may have evolved into clinical depression and it may be time to seek help. Be gentle with yourself, knowing there is no right or wrong way to grieve and all of your feelings are normal, even if it feels like you're going crazy. I will help you to understand what is happening to you and walk beside you as you move through your very personal grieving process.

I support clients through grief and loss by helping you to understand the phases of grief, set expectations of what the the grieving process will look like, and understanding how to balance the need to continue living with the need to mourn the loss. Grief can be complex and bring out many emotional shifts that are at first confusing and hard to understand. Though grief and loss therapy, you will be supported in understanding your unique grieving process and how to work through each stage.

Loss changes everything. Whether sudden or expected, the pain can be unbearable. Grief loss is different for everyone and can be a confusing and lonely road. Find help and encouragement after the loss of a loved one, a cherished family pet, or a natural disaster. Learn how to grief effectively, and how to manage your emotions so they don't feel so overwhelming. I can help you discover ways to move on and grow in your life, no matter what comes your way.

I work directly with the emotional parts of the brain to take the edge of the pain of grief and loss. I accomplish this through the use of narrative therapy, logotherapy (meaning and purpose), EMDR and OEI (draw out specific areas of emotional pain), and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Clients report that this process significantly decreases their level of stress and pain without the need to recall or relive painful events.

My approach to helping clients struggling with grief and loss is holistic in nature. I address the physical, mental, cultural / spiritual aspects that may contribute to feelings of grief and loss. I use a combination of cognitive - behavioral therapies, neurofeedback, and yoga psychology to help clients learn to gain emotional distance on their loss, to cultivate acceptance, and to eventually plan for the future.

Grief and loss is, unfortunately, a normal part of living. There is no single "correct" way to grieve: different cultures and even individuals from the same culture grieve differently. The only consistent feature is that grief takes time. The most effective thing anyone can do for someone grieving is to be there—to listen, to empathize, to walk along with the grief. There is no "fixing" grief. But counseling can help prevent normal grief from developing into major depression or other mental health conditions.

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.