Grief changes us.

Whether you have lost a loved one, experienced the end of a relationship, received a difficult diagnosis, moved through a major life transition, or let go of a hoped-for future, loss has a way of reshaping the world as we know it.

What once felt familiar may no longer feel the same. The rhythms of daily life can become disrupted. Things that once felt meaningful may lose their significance. You may find yourself wondering how life continues to move forward when so much inside you has changed.

Grief can feel overwhelming, disorienting, and deeply isolating.

You may experience waves of sadness, anger, numbness, guilt, relief, confusion, anxiety, longing, or regret. Some days you may feel consumed by your loss, while other days you may feel disconnected from it entirely.

There is no right way to grieve.

There is no timeline you are expected to follow.

At Every Season Counselling, I believe grief is not something to "get over" or move beyond. Grief is an expression of love, attachment, meaning, and connection.

Rather than trying to help you leave your grief behind, my role is to walk alongside you as you learn how to carry it differently.

Understanding Grief Beyond Loss

When we think of grief, we often think of death.

While grief commonly follows the death of a loved one, it can emerge in response to many kinds of loss.

You may be grieving:

• The end of a relationship or marriage

• The loss of a family role or identity

• A miscarriage or infertility journey

• A significant life transition

• Changes in your health or physical abilities

• The loss of a dream or hoped-for future

• Estrangement from a loved one

• The impact of trauma or difficult life experiences

• A move, retirement, or career change

Many forms of grief go unrecognized by others.

When grief is not acknowledged or understood, it can feel especially lonely.

You may hear messages that encourage you to move on, stay positive, or focus on what comes next.

While these responses are often well-intentioned, they can leave you feeling unseen in your experience.

Grief asks something different of us.

It asks us to slow down, make space for our pain, and honour what has been lost.

My Approach to Grief & Loss Counselling

I do not believe grief is a problem to solve.

Grief is a natural response to losing someone or something important.

Rather than focusing on helping you "move on," our work together focuses on helping you stay connected to yourself as you move through your grief.

Therapy provides a space where your grief does not need to be minimized, rushed, explained away, or hidden from others.

Together, we create space for the full range of your experience.

Some sessions may involve telling stories about the person or life you have lost. Others may focus on the emotions that arise in the present moment, the ways grief is impacting your relationships, or the challenges of adjusting to a world that feels different than it once did.

There is no right way to grieve.

We move at a pace that feels respectful of your unique experience and needs.

My work is informed by Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), somatic approaches, and Satir Systemic Therapy.

Together, these approaches help us honour grief as both an emotional and relational experience.

Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP)

Loss can feel profoundly isolating.

One of the most painful aspects of grief is the experience of carrying overwhelming emotions alone.

AEDP recognizes that healing happens through safe and supportive relationships.

In our work together, you do not need to manage your grief by yourself.

We create space for the emotions that grief brings—whether sadness, anger, longing, fear, relief, guilt, or love.

Rather than avoiding these experiences or becoming overwhelmed by them, we approach them together with curiosity and compassion.

AEDP helps us trust that emotions, even painful ones, can be experienced safely when we are not alone.

As grief is witnessed and held within a supportive relationship, many people discover moments of relief, connection, and meaning that coexist alongside their pain.

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)

Grief is deeply connected to attachment.

The intensity of our grief often reflects the significance of the bond we have lost.

When someone important to us is gone, our attachment system naturally searches for them. We may long for their presence, replay memories, or struggle to understand how to move forward without them.

EFT helps us understand grief through the lens of connection.

Together, we explore questions such as:

• What did this person or experience mean to you?

• What needs or longings are present beneath your grief?

• How has this loss changed your sense of connection to others?

• What feels most difficult about moving forward?

Grief is not a sign that you are holding on too tightly.

It is a reflection of the significance of your relationships.

Our work honours those bonds while helping you find new ways to remain connected to what matters most.

Internal Family Systems (IFS)

Grief often brings forward different parts of ourselves.

You may notice a part that wants to stay busy and avoid painful emotions, a part that feels angry about the loss, a part that carries guilt or regret, or a part that longs to withdraw from others.

Sometimes these parts can feel confusing or contradictory.

One part may want to talk about the loss constantly, while another wants to avoid thinking about it altogether.

IFS helps us approach these experiences with compassion rather than judgment.

Together, we explore the different parts that emerge in grief and the important roles they play.

Rather than trying to change or silence these parts, we seek to understand them.

As these parts feel seen and supported, many people experience greater inner harmony and a deeper sense of self-compassion.

Somatic Approaches: Grief in the Body

Grief is not only an emotional experience. It is also a physical one.

Loss can affect sleep, appetite, energy, concentration, and our sense of connection to our bodies.

You may notice grief as heaviness in your chest, a lump in your throat, fatigue, restlessness, tension, or a feeling of emptiness.

At times, grief can feel so overwhelming that the body responds by becoming numb or disconnected.

A somatic approach recognizes that the body carries important information about our experience of loss.

Rather than trying to push painful sensations away, we gently learn to listen to them.

Together, we may explore questions such as:

• How does grief show up in your body?

• What sensations arise when memories or emotions surface?

• What helps you feel grounded and supported?

• What does your nervous system need in moments of overwhelm?

We may incorporate gentle body-based practices that help you reconnect with yourself, increase your awareness of physical sensations, and build your capacity to move through difficult emotions at a manageable pace.

The goal is not to eliminate grief, but to help your nervous system feel supported as you carry it.

Satir Systemic Therapy

Grief does not happen in isolation.

Our experiences of loss are shaped by our families, cultures, communities, and relationships.

Many people received messages growing up about how grief should be expressed.

You may have learned to stay strong, avoid burdening others, or hide your emotions.

These messages can make it difficult to grieve openly or ask for support.

Satir Systemic Therapy helps us understand how these influences shape our relationship with grief.

Together, we explore questions such as:

• What did you learn about grief growing up?

• How was loss talked about in your family?

• What expectations do you place on yourself during difficult times?

• What support do you need now?

As we better understand these patterns, we create space for new ways of relating to grief, vulnerability, and connection.

What Grief Counselling May Look Like

Our work together may involve:

• Making space for the emotions that accompany loss

• Processing unresolved feelings or unfinished conversations

• Exploring the impact of grief on your relationships

• Honouring memories and meaningful connections

• Understanding how past experiences influence your grief

• Identifying and supporting different parts of yourself

• Reconnecting with your body and nervous system

• Developing self-compassion during difficult seasons

• Exploring meaning, identity, and life after loss

There is no roadmap for grief.

Together, we focus on creating a space where your experience can unfold naturally and authentically.

Carrying Grief with Compassion

Loss changes us because love changes us.

While grief may always remain part of your story, it does not have to define your future.

Over time, many people discover that healing is not about forgetting or leaving someone behind.

It is about learning how to remain connected to what matters while continuing to live fully.

You do not need to carry your grief alone.

Whatever season of loss you are moving through, there is space for your story here.