Grief and Loss Counseling in South Seattle, WA.

If you have lost someone close to you through death, relocation or the end of a relationship, and feel isolated and lonely, it takes time and support to gently move forward in life. If you are shy or feel anxiety in social situations it can be hard to reach out for help and create the supportive relationships you need. I can help you move forward, gain a new sense of self worth, and begin to create meaningful nurturing social connections.

How do you move on when desire, hope, a loved one, or the something core to you has been lost? I am hesitant to answer that question in words because I think that there are no cognitive solutions to loss. You may have experienced this. In some ways, the only way to work with the grief is to go straight through it. It is a difficult journey, one you may have just entered or one you may have found yourself in for years. I offer a caring hand in your journey through it.

There is no right way too grieve, no right amount of time to do it in, and no way of avoiding it. It is common for a person to withdraw from their friends and family, feel overwhelmed and helpless to the intense waves of emotions—sadness, anger, fear, anxiety, and numbness. When the emotional intensity becomes too much, we don’t seem to be able to move forward with life. I offer grief therapy to help you find ways to cope with grief and mourning following the death of loved ones, pregnancy loss, or the mourning that often comes along with major life changes.

Grief can show up in surprising ways, and it can be overwhelmingly powerful. Our culture doesn't really teach us to grieve well, and it is not unusual for some people to suppress grief. But there has been quite a bit of research which has identified grieving as a necessary part of a healthy life when we are hit with painful losses - of people we love or changes in our own health. I come alongside clients to help them work through a healthy grieving process, so that they can integrate the loss into their life and move forward.

Although grief is a normal reaction to loss, getting over a broken heart may be difficult. I support my clients as they move beyond their loss, whether it's death, divorce or the numerous other common life experiences which are losses such as moving, graduation, reitement, holidays, empty nest or health changes. I will help you find new meaning in life as you deal with the many feelings that grief brings. As I work with you to recover from your grief, you will learn some skills that allow you to deal with loss directly. Recovering from grief takes courage and it's so worth the effort as you begin to live more wholeheartedly!

Grief and loss are very challenging. The difficulty of processing these complex emotions is compounded due to the fast paced nature of our lives pushing us forward, not providing the space and time for the necessary reflection. In order to move forward, we need time to grieve what has been lost. Our work begins with addressing the loss currently burdening your heart. It continues with examining the depth of the loss and its various levels of impact on your life. For example, losing one's mother could also mean the loss of a confidant, a cheerleader, a friend, an advocate etc. Finally, we will work together through the stages of your grief, supplementing with reading material when necessary.

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.

When you're going through a time of significant loss, our therapists at Mill Creek Family Services provide the support, care and understanding you need. We come alongside you with genuine warmth and compassion as you move through your time of grief. During a time that you just want the deep hurt to go away, we offer you a companion on your path as we shine a light in the direction of hope and renewal.

When grief and loss hit, life can feel unbearable. When this happens, we sometimes try to avoid our painful feelings, but this never works for long and can lead to unhealthy ways of coping. As hard as it is, the way to heal from loss is to lean into the pain instead of running away from it. I provide a safe place for my clients to heal and move through their pain so they can fully engage in life again.

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.

Grief is a difficult issue for all of us because it looks differently for everyone. However, there are some common themes in how we grieve as men and women. If you or someone you know is grieving and finding it difficult to acknowledge their grief or know what to do next, therapy is the best place to explore how they might grieve fully and in so doing, be able to move forward in life.

The pain of grief and loss can be so heavy and isolating. It often feels like others do not understand the depth of our despair or they move on and expect us to be able to move on within a certain time frame as well. Grief and loss shake our foundation and it can seem unfair that the world keeps moving on. Grief is a process and there is no specific time line. Some of us even have ongoing grief, which can feel unbearable at times. However, even with continuous grief, we can find ways to cope and find joy and freedom again. Though our grief can seem big, we can find hope that is even bigger.

If you have experienced loss in the form of death, divorce or other estrangement in relationships, I can help you through this process. Grief and loss can take their toll, but connecting with a therapist can make the difference. Though none of us wants to experience the pain, these kinds of events can deepen our character. Give yourself the time, space and self-nurture it takes to move through the emotions. Call me at 425 652-1413 to set up an appointment.