Grief and Loss Therapy

Holding the space just for you

Has the loss of something or someone significant in your life been too difficult to navigate on your own?

The term “grief” or “loss” is often applied to the process of losing someone to death or dying. Grief can take many forms, and here at Brookhaven, we normalize grief that is attached to many forms of loss - a pet, the loss of physical ability, loss of a house, job or romantic partnership. Losing something or someone important to us is one of the most painful emotional experiences we will undergo in our lives. It can cause uncertainty, overwhelming sadness and a loss of identity.

Complicated Grief

Many people talk about complicated grief, but what exactly does that mean? Therapists usually define complicated grief as the situation where the feelings of overwhelming sadness do not subside, even after a lengthy period of time. While it is normal to experience grief after a significant loss, complicated grief occurs when these feelings persist for an extended period, often for six months or more, and interfere with daily life. People with complicated grief may experience a variety of symptoms, such as difficulty accepting the loss, feeling detached from others, experiencing intense anger or guilt, and having persistent thoughts of the deceased. The person does not move through the expected phases of grief, and the unceasing lingering feelings prevent the person from being able to return to a healthy life.

Therapy is a crucial component of treatment for complicated grief. A therapist can provide a safe and supportive space for individuals to process their emotions and work through their grief. The type of therapy that is recommended may vary depending on the individual's specific needs and preferences. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a common approach used to treat complicated grief. This type of therapy focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns and behaviors that are contributing to the individual's symptoms. CBT may involve techniques such as cognitive restructuring, which helps individuals challenge and change negative thoughts, and exposure therapy, which involves gradually facing and processing difficult emotions related to the loss.

What can Grief and Loss Therapy address?

  • Grief of the death of a spouse, child, parent, sibling or friend

  • Grief of the death of a pet

  • Losing a job or house

  • Losing a romantic partnership

  • Traumatic loss of someone you knew

  • A significant physical ailment

  • A significant loss of body functioning

  • Loss of the cognitive ability of a loved one to dementia, Alzhiemer’s or brain injury

“Grief therapy allows the person to process and confront the emotions that go along with the painful experience of a loss. This results in the person feeling more in control, more accepting and more at peace”.

What does Grief Therapy look like?

Grief therapy is often looked at as something that will be hard and therefore many people avoid scheduling themselves this opportunity. Yes, it can be difficult to confront your feelings, however, our brains can do wonderful things when we allow ourselves to process difficult and/or traumatic events in our life. Our brains learn that it’s OKAY to feel complicated emotions, and ultimately teach ourselves that we can handle it.

Grief therapy can go at whatever pace works for you. Some people like to take it slow. Your therapist will likely provide daily tips and strategies to ensure self-care is high in this period of your life. They will also protect time and space to talk about your loss, and collaborate with you in identifying the specific emotions you are experiencing. A therapist will offer suggestions on how to honour the lost person or thing, while moving forward in a meaningful way. You can feel well again.

Grief Therapy at Brookhaven

Our therapists will hold a non-judgmental space for you and work towards the common goals that you set up in respect to your specific situation with grief or bereavement. Contact us today to schedule a session with a certified therapist.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • The stages of grief are sometimes described as denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. However, it is important to understand that these stages are not necessarily in a fixed order that everyone goes through. Grief is deeply individual, and many people move back and forth between these emotions or experience them differently. Grief is not supposed to happen in a certain way or at a certain time. Coping with loss starts with honouring your own experience, wherever you are in it.

  • Yes, it is perfectly normal to grieve for a long time, and it may come in waves rather than in a linear fashion. The loss of someone or something important is one of the most painful experiences we go through, and there's no set schedule for healing. Some days will be lighter, and others may surprise you even years later, and that's okay. If grief feels stuck or all-consuming, grief and loss therapy in Ontario can offer gentle support to help you carry it.

  • You may contact a therapist when grief is persistent, overwhelming, or interfering with your ability to live well long after the loss. If these feelings are overwhelming, persist for a long time, and affect your relationships, work, or sense of self, support can make a difference. A complicated grief therapist offers a safe, supportive space to process emotions that feel too heavy to move through alone. You don't need to reach a threshold of "bad enough" before it's okay to ask for help.

  • Post-miscarriage or infant-loss therapy provides a safe, non-judgemental space to process a loss that can be deeply painful and, unfortunately, often unspeakable. This grief is legitimate and real, even if the world doesn't always recognize it. Therapy for pregnancy loss allows you to honour your experience, process the complex emotions that come with it, and move forward at your own pace. Your therapist walks alongside you with care, never rushing your healing.

  • Yes, grief therapy can be helpful for many types of loss, not just the loss of a loved one. At Brookhaven, we normalize grief associated with all kinds of losses, such as the loss of a pet, the end of a relationship, the loss of a job or home, or a loss of health or ability. These losses can cause genuine sadness, uncertainty, and even a loss of identity, and they need support. Counselling after the death of a loved one and other significant losses can help you find your footing again.

  • If you're searching for “grief support near me,” we have warm, compassionate clinicians in Burlington, Milton, Oakville, and London, plus virtual sessions throughout Ontario. You're welcome to read our therapists' bios and choose whoever feels like the right fit, or reach out so we can help match you. We also offer gentle bereavement counselling in Milton and across the region, delivered at whatever pace works for you. You can book a free 15-minute consultation with no pressure or obligation.

  • You can book grief counselling online in Ontario by reaching out for a free 15-minute consultation, with no pressure or obligation. Online grief counselling in Ontario can be a comfort when leaving the house feels like too much, letting you grieve and heal from a space where you feel safe. Virtual sessions offer the same caring, personalized support as in-person sessions. Your therapist will be there for you when you are ready.