Has the recent loss of a loved one left you so overwhelmed that you are unable to think or function anymore? Do you feel like you’ve been hit by a truck and are struggling to achieve some sense of normalcy in your life? Perhaps you are dealing with infidelity, a sudden life transition or medical diagnosis that has filled you with fear, sadness or a sense of uncertainty for the future. Or maybe you are stuck in a loop of old, unresolved pain from a loss that you have never fully processed.
Whether you are dealing with divorce, a career change or mourning the death of a loved one, grief can have a powerful and intrusive impact on your life. For instance, you may be having trouble sleeping, eating properly or keeping your mind on topic. Or you might be experiencing headaches, digestive issues, chronic pain or an impaired immune system.
To avoid thinking about the pain, perhaps you’re throwing yourself into work or withdrawing from friends and family. And if you are experiencing a shared loss with a partner, there may be times when you can’t understand each other’s coping process, so you end up lashing out or shutting down.
I know that you may feel lonely, misunderstood and scared, but there is a way to process your grief and regain control of your life. Over time, you can become comfortable with accepting what has happened so the experience no longer limits or defines you, allowing you to move forward with your life in peace.
Grief Is A Natural Human Response To Trauma And Change
Very few people ever go without experiencing some sort of sorrow, anger, shock or other intense emotion related to loss. And although feeling sad and reflecting on a loved one’s life can be healthy, the instability and fear loss creates can sometimes cause a person to get stuck in a loop of painful emotions. After a while, prolonged grief can start to slowly disrupt nearly every aspect of that person’s life—even leading to symptoms of anxiety, depression or physical health problems.
Despite how normal it is to grieve, we still aren’t very good at it. Part of the reason may be the sheer number of mixed messages we receive about healing from loss. Sometimes, people can feel as if they are grieving too much or not enough or even in the right way. Social forces, such as returning to work and taking care of the family, often drive people to deprioritize self-care, thus prolonging the anguish. Then, there is our culture’s overemphasis on self-reliance that compels everyone to think that there is a time limit on the healing process.
However, grieving is a survival mechanism that allows us to regain stability and emotional balance, which means that it is a process that we have to undergo. Although it may be uncomfortable at times,
you can find happiness and learn to live again. Acting as your guide, I’ll walk beside you through your grief, helping you find new strength, perspective and hope.
Grief Counselling Can Offer You A Way Forward In Peace
Working with a counsellor enables you to process your loss while honouring and remembering your loved one in a way that is stable and nurturing. It gives you the space to process your feelings and learn healthy, productive ways of dealing with stress and the raw emotions that are keeping you stuck. With my professional guidance, you can gain a sense of acceptance and closure that will allow you to start living again with identity and purpose.
I want you to understand that what you are going through is completely natural, so I’ll begin by offering you a little insight into how grief affects your mental state and well-being. I also want to make sure that you are equipped to walk through any of the painful memories that may come up.
That’s why we’ll spend the first couple of sessions building mindfulness and grounding skills that will help you regulate your emotions. We’ll also use muscle tension and release exercises to help calm the nervous system and resolve any of the trauma that may be stored in your body. If you have anxiety or PTSD related to your loss, these techniques and strategies can be particularly helpful with those ailments as well.
Once you feel safe and comfortable enough, we can begin slowly unpacking the details of your loss. We may explore some of your symptoms and how this loss is impacting your life, as well as how you are coping daily. We can also examine the nature of your loss and what that person or thing meant to you. Sometimes, that may require writing or drawing to get the emotions out before they can be verbalized. The impact of losing a loved one is different for everyone, so there is a lot of flexibility in how we can approach the healing process. Ultimately, I want to let you express yourself and walk with you through this temporary dark time until you can see the light that tomorrow holds.
I understand that you are still in pain, but you can find new life and learn how to smile again. Things may not be the same as before, but they can get better. Like any other injury, you just have to work at recovery, believe in yourself and have patience. With the right guidance, you can find closure and a sense of control that will empower you to move forward in peace while still honouring the memory of your loss.
Perhaps you are considering grief counselling but still have some concerns…
I don’t want to risk therapy making me feel worse.
Right now, you are walking around with a raw nerve exposed that makes functioning and containing your emotions a daily challenge. But working with a grief counsellor can help you close that wound. Yes, you may still have a scar, and it might hurt for a while, but in time, you will be able to live without being defined by your pain.
I tried bereavement counselling once, but it didn’t help.
Many people engage in therapy but lose confidence in its effectiveness if they don’t see instant results. But mourning a loved one and recovering from loss is a process that takes time. Grief is not a diagnosis that you can treat like an illness—it’s a journey. Even so, we can still use what worked and what didn’t from your last experience to tailor a treatment strategy that speaks to your situation. And with a little commitment and patience, you can gain valuable skills and a sense of self-awareness that will help you secure your future and begin living with confidence.
I don’t have the time for grief therapy.
At this point, it’s likely that grief and sadness are harming your relationships, impairing your job performance and affecting your overall well-being. In a way, it’s stealing life from you. So it’s imperative that you prioritize your family and yourself by acknowledging your pain and grieving adequately. Even if you need to reach out from home or work, I offer online grief counselling to make sure that everyone receives the care that they should have. I believe you are worth investing in yourself.
Let’s Work Together To Help You Find New Purpose And Meaning
If you are struggling with the loss of a loved one or a difficult life transition, I would be honoured to help you along your journey toward recovery. Please call 613 730 9634 for your free, 15-minute consultation to see how my approach to counselling and healing the wounds of grief and loss may be able to help you.
***PLEASE NOTE, I DO NOT TAKE ANY NEW CLIENTS AT THIS TIME***
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