Loss and Grief Counselling

Loss and Grief

The death of a loved one, loss of a relationship, job, home, health, or something or someone special can result in grief. Loss and grief can be numbing, painful, confusing, and isolating. It profoundly impacts our relationships with ourselves and others and our sense of place. 

Grief explained

Grief is our reaction to loss – anticipated, unexpected or a wish that never happened. It impacts our bodies, thoughts, emotions, relationships, behaviour, and beliefs. It is unique and there are no timelines, stages or hierarchy to grief. 

Grief counselling can be beneficial during times of anticipatory loss. For example, you may be a carer for a loved one with a terminal illness and find it difficult to confide in others or work through the overwhelm of the situation. Another example is when you may suspect that a relationship or friendship is changing or ending.

You might be experiencing disenfranchised grief if you can’t express your sorrow in your community. The death of a beloved companion animal, death due to addictions, or a relationship that others have not accepted is all examples of disenfranchised grief.

Recent losses, whether sudden and unexpected or anticipated but not expected, might leave you in acute grief. Counselling can help normalise and validate the thoughts, emotions, and body sensations you may be experiencing, which may be intense or numbing. It can help to process what has happened and to experience compassionate and empathic support.

Private and confidential counselling offers a safe place to express your innermost thoughts and issues troubling you without the sense that assumptions or judgements are being made about you or your experience.

When should you seek help for your grief?

It’s never too early or too late for loss and grief counselling.

Consider getting extra support when your feelings become unpleasant and overwhelming and start interfering with daily functioning. Benefits include helping you to deal more effectively with stressful or challenging life circumstances, painful thoughts, and feelings.

What is my approach?

I’ll work with you to explore and articulate your grief – without passing judgement, making assumptions, or giving you unsolicited advice.

Together we can work on strategies, and I can teach you skills to help you:

• deal with painful thoughts, worries and fears
• come to terms with loss and grief
• manage the impact of loss and grief on your relationships
• make healthy changes to your lifestyle
• cope with daily hassles
• manage stress, anxiety, depression
• find your place for this next chapter of your life.

Why seek support from Changes in Between?

I have a specialist focus on grief across the lifespan, including death and living losses, with over 20 years of experience in the field. The guide includes dying, death and bereavement, companion animal loss, and life transitions (from every form of change and loss across the lifespan).

Certified Thanatologist (Study of Dying, Death, and Bereavement) from the Association for Death Education and Counselling and Certified Bereavement Practitioner with the Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement – each requires regular recertification.

With the lived experience of grief and bereavement as a young widow, many living losses from change and transition over the years, and the grief of much-loved companion animals. But, most of all, I learn with my clients and know that everyone’s grief is unique.

You can try single-session counselling, followed by another at infrequent intervals. Home visits, walk-and-talk sessions in nature, or telehealth from the privacy of your own home or office. For further information, please read How I work.