Bereavement and grief aren’t light-hearted topics. Bereavement refers to the process of recovering from the death of a loved one, and grief is a reaction for any form of loss. Both encompass a wide range of emotions such as fear, anger and deep, deep sadness.

The process of adapting to a loss can dramatically change from person to person, depending on his or her background, beliefs, relationship to the person who’s passed, and other factors.

Common symptoms of grief can be physical, emotional or social.

A few common symptoms in these categories are:

Physical

• Crying and sighing
• Headaches
• Loss of appetite
• Difficulty sleeping
• Weakness
• Fatigue

Emotional

• Feelings of sadness and yearning
• Feelings of worry or anger
• Feelings of frustration or guilt

Social

• Feeling detached from others
• Self-isolation from social contact
• Behaving in ways that are not normal for you

Every grieving experience is different. A person may be able to continue their day-to-day routine after one loss, yet not be able to get out of bed after the loss of someone else. Whatever your personal symptoms are, grief and bereavement counseling have been proven to help.

Life Transitions

“The only thing constant is change.”

~ Heraclitus, Greek philosopher

Has your life been touched by a major event such as a death, divorce or layoffs at work? Are you having a hard time moving through and past the emotional turmoil? Do you feel completely stuck and like you need guidance getting back on track?

There’s no denying that life often presents us with our fair share of challenges, usually in the form of sudden change. These life transitions, even the positive ones, can throw us into a tailspin and leave us feeling stressed, confused and vulnerable. But with the right tools and mindset, you have the power to not only overcome any adversity but also transform into a more authentic and confident version of yourself.

Change Can be Beneficial

Change, even difficult change that is neither wanted or expected, can influence personal growth. Change gives us the opportunity to see what we’re made of; to become stronger, more confident, and better prepared for what life throws at us next. With each new challenge, we develop new personal skills and obtain a greater awareness of ourselves, our family and our communities.

Common Life Transitions

Some of the most common life transitions we help clients navigate are:

• Moving away to college
• Adjusting to university life or your first professional job
• Getting married
• Having a new baby
• Parenting
• Empty nesting syndrome
• Breakup, separation or divorce
• Infidelity recovery
• Retirement
• Job loss or major change in career
• Relocation
• Financial gain/loss
• Serious illness or disability
• Issues pertaining to aging
• Death of a loved one
• Questioning the meaning of life
• Questioning your faith/spirituality
• Questioning your sexual/gender identity

Is it Time to Speak to Someone?

Sometimes we can handle change and adversity by ourselves and sometimes we need a little help. I’m here to lend that helping hand and offer a warm and encouraging environment where you can speak candidly and receive care, compassion and guidance.

If you or someone you love is struggling with a life transition and would like to explore treatment options, please be in touch. You don’t need to struggle alone.

Trauma

Most people will experience trauma in their lifetime whether it’s a car accident, abuse or neglect, the sudden death of a loved one, a violent criminal act, exposure to the violence of war, or a natural disaster.

While many people can recover from trauma over time with the love and support of family and friends and bounce back with resiliency, others may discover effects of lasting trauma, which can cause a person to live with deep emotional pain, fear, confusion, or posttraumatic stress far after the event has passed.

In these circumstances, the support, guidance, and assistance of a therapist is fundamental to healing from trauma.

Trauma Symptoms

According to the four types of symptoms listed in the DSM-5

Avoidance Symptoms

• Avoiding specific locations, sights, situations, and sounds that serve as reminders of the event
• Anxiety, depression, numbness, or guilt

Re-experiencing Symptoms

• Intrusive thoughts, nightmares or flashbacks

Hyperarousal Symptoms

• Anger, irritability, and hypervigilance
• Aggressive, reckless behavior, including self-harm
• Sleep disturbances

Negative Mood and Cognition Symptoms

• Loss of interest in activities that were once considered enjoyable
• Difficulty remembering details of the distressing event
• Change in habits or behavior since the trauma

Research has proven psychotherapy to be the most effective form of treatment for trauma. Most commonly, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) are used in treating trauma.

If you or someone you know matches the trauma symptoms listed above, I am confident that I can help and invite you to contact me today for a free consultation.