Grief & Loss

Navigate Loss with Compassionate Support | Grief Counseling

A profound and aching sadness that comes in unpredictable waves, sometimes when you least expect it.
Emotional numbness, denial, or shock, as if what happened can’t possibly be real.
Anger, guilt, or regret over things said or unsaid.
Physical exhaustion, changes in sleep or appetite, and a feeling of being utterly drained.
Isolation, as if no one else can understand the depth of your pain.
Anxiety about the future and how to navigate life without your loved one or what was lost.

Understanding the Jargon (What’s Actually Happening?)

Bereavement: The objective fact of having experienced a loss.
Complicated Grief: When the natural grieving process becomes stuck, intense, and debilitating over a long period.
Disenfranchised Grief: Grief that is not openly acknowledged or socially supported (e.g., pet loss, miscarriage, divorce, job loss).
Anticipatory Grief: The emotional response that occurs before an impending loss, common with terminal diagnoses.

How We Deal With It in Therapy Together

Creating a Safe Space to Feel: Providing a supportive, non-judgmental environment where all of your emotions are welcome and can be expressed freely.
Narrative Therapy: Helping you process the story of your loss, honor the relationship, and explore what meaning and legacy remain.
Skill Building for the Waves: Developing coping strategies and self-care practices to help you navigate the difficult moments, anniversaries, and triggers.
Reconstructing Your Worldview: Gently exploring how this loss has changed your understanding of the world and yourself, and helping you rebuild a sense of safety and identity.
Finding Continued Bonds: Exploring ways to maintain a healthy connection to who or what you lost while still engaging in your own life.

A Little Something to Help You Now: The Grief Wave Metaphor

Imagine grief as an ocean wave. In the beginning, the waves are huge,
crash over you without warning, and pull you under. You are just trying
to survive and gasp for air.
Over time, the waves never truly disappear, but they become
less frequent and less intense. You can see them coming. You
learn to breathe through them. You learn that even though
a big wave might knock you down, you will get back up.
Be gentle with yourself. You are learning to swim
in a new ocean. It takes time. Allow yourself to
feel the wave without fighting it. It is a
testament to your love and your loss.

Ready to take the next step?