Counselling for
Grief and Trauma
You've lost someone, something, or some part of yourself.
Something really unimaginable has happened. Someone has died. There has been a car accident. You were hurt by a loved one who was supposed to care for you. Your child got sick or was harmed. You witnessed something you cannot stop seeing. Or, you have had so many smaller or vicarious traumas build up that you are no longer coping. Maybe it happened yesterday, or maybe it happened 20 years ago, but it is still a part of you.
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About the Therapy Process
As with any counselling process, it starts with a phone call. But when you have been dealing with such exceedingly difficult circumstances, picking up the phone is harder. Send an email instead, or fill out the contact form on this website. Let's take it slow. The first step is just reaching out.
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After that, we will work together weekly or biweekly, spending time processing what is on your mind most prominently. Grief and trauma are unpredictable. One week you collapse at the sight of a pile of laundry. The next week, you feel fine, and want to talk about the annoying thing your spouse did the other day. Wherever you are in that moment, creating safety is our prime objective.
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We will use Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy and other techniques informed by Polyvagal theory such as Self-Regulation Therapy in order to help you process your experiences. Grief and trauma affect our bodies as much as our thoughts. Using mindfulness and body-based therapy, we will explore emotions and thoughts in order to create safety and help your nervous system regulate.
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Religious Trauma
If you are a person of faith, or used to be, then you know how central to identity spirituality can be. If you have experienced an injury related to a spiritual leader, an adverse experience in a community of faith, or a feeling that your faith has let you down, it can cause some very deep, complex wounds. This is a topic close our hearts, and we would love to help support you as you process these experiences. Read more about our take on religious trauma therapy.
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Grief and Trauma Therapy for Kids
Kids deal with traumatic experiences differently than adults. They might start acting out in defiance, or withdrawing. They might start wetting the bed again after many years or having other regressive behaviours. They might seem fine until you see that their usually bright art is full of black scribbles.
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In therapy with teens, using art or music can be a common language for them to express their inner workings. With younger children, individual or family-based play therapy can help them regulate their nervous systems and rediscover safe connections with parents and loved ones. Read more info on therapy for kids.
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Who should attend?
If you're ready to talk, there is someone to listen. If you need to just sit, there's space to breathe. If you are a sobbing mess, there is tissue and a warm blanket. If you are not sure what to do next, we're here to help.