Grief Counselling

Heal In A Safe & Healthy Way

Help With Grief

Grief can result from any type of significant loss, whether it is a person, pet, relationship, job, health, or something else that is important to you. Grief is a natural reaction to such losses, and emotions such as shock, guilt, sadness, and anger are normal. Some of the symptoms that might occur are fatigue, a change in appetite, feeling disorganized, and having difficulty concentrating. The grieving process is a necessary occurrence, as it allows a person to express emotions and thoughts about the loss and to face the changes that have occurred.

In my work with clients who are grieving, I help them to develop coping strategies to manage the pain and emotions that they are experiencing. When grief is expressed in a healthy manner, healing can occur and moving forward becomes a realistic goal.

Each person grieves in their own way. When counselling those who are grieving, I assist people to allow the process to unfold as it naturally should, and to express emotions in a meaningful way. Experience of the grieving process takes time and patience. In treating clients and helping them through this process, I work with each person in whichever way suits them best.

The five stages of grief developed by Elisabeth Kübler−Ross (1969) include the following:

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Denial

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Anger

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Bargaining

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Depression

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Acceptance

Although these stages appear in order, not everyone goes through each stage. A person may go back and forth amongst the stages, or skip certain stages altogether. As such, the process for every person is unique and individual.

Questions on Counselling

How do I know if I need counselling?

Sometimes we need to seek help from a trained professional to work through problems that we are encountering. You may need counselling if:

  • you are feeling overwhelmed, and your problems do not seem to improve despite your best efforts
  • you are having difficulties in your relationships
  • it is difficult to carry out your daily routine, performance at work is affected, relationships are strained, or you are not feeling like you are coping effectively
  • You are using alcohol, drugs, gambling, sex, or other means that are negatively affecting your life
  • You feel unhappy or hopeless
What can I expect in a first session?

During the first session, paperwork is completed as well as a functional assessment. I will ask about your concerns and what has brought you to therapy. Once all information has been gathered, goals for therapy and a treatment plan can be discussed.

How do I know if it’s the right fit for me?

You should feel comfortable with your psychologist and be able to discuss personal information. It is important to have a good rapport with your psychologist and feel at ease with him/her.

In order to determine if we are a good fit for each other, I offer a free 20 minute consultation.

How long are sessions?

Sessions are 60 minutes in length, which includes admin time (i.e. payment, booking next appointments, etc). Longer sessions may be arranged in 15 minute segments.

How many sessions are required?

Therapy is individual to each person and the amount of time required is dependant on several factors. Some of these factors include the nature of the concerns brought to therapy, complexity of the issues, amount of work completed outside of sessions, and motivation to change.

What is the cost?

The Fee Schedule recommended by the Psychologists’ Association of Alberta is a guideline for setting fees for services. My fees are set using this schedule as a guideline. You can access this fee schedule on the Psychologists’ Association website at www.psychologistsassociation.ab.ca.

My fee for individual sessions is $220/hour.

Alberta Health Care does not cover the cost of psychological services. However, I will issue a receipt for fees paid, and if you have an insurance plan, this may be submitted to your insurance company for full or partial re-imbursement.

Live Your Best Life

I can support you in finding the path to health and healing.