Grief and loss
Grief Counselling
Grief follows a death, but also the loss of a relationship, a role, or a future you expected, and it doesn't run to anyone's timetable.
Making space for grief without prescribing a timetable
Grief can follow a death, but it can also arise after the loss of a relationship, health, identity, role, possibility, or future you expected to have. It may arrive in waves, remain in the background, or change shape over time.
Counselling does not remove the significance of what happened. It can provide a steady place to speak openly, understand the ways loss is affecting everyday life, and explore how to carry what matters while continuing to live.
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Grief is personal and relational
People can respond very differently to the same event. One person may need conversation while another needs quiet or practical action. In a couple, these differences can be mistaken for distance or lack of care when both people are grieving in their own ways.
Support can focus on the individual experience, the relationship, or both. The starting point is what the loss means in your life now.
You might recognize some of this
You can start where you are.
- Preoccupation with the deceased or with the circumstances surrounding the death
- Longing or yearning
- Sleeplessness
- Feelings of emptiness, meaninglessness, or worthlessness
- Difficulty engaging in happy memories
- Avoidance of reminders of the deceased
- Isolating behaviours
- Lack of desire in pursuing personal interests or plans
- Angry outbursts
This is a description of experiences, not a self-diagnosis checklist.
It may be time to talk to someone
You don't need to be in crisis to deserve support.
Consider reaching out if:
- The loss is affecting your ability to function at work or at home
- Grief has not shifted over many months and feels stuck
- You are avoiding people, places, or reminders connected to the loss
- Others around you are affected and unsure how to help
- You are using alcohol or substances to manage the pain
However your grief looks or however long it's lasted, that's still reason enough to reach out.
Ways grief counselling may support you
We match the approach to you, not the other way around. Your therapist may draw on one or several, depending on what fits.
Tell your own story of the loss and what you carry forward.
Helps you find and tell your own story of what happened: what the loss means, what it changed, and what you want to carry forward.
Therapists who work this way: Narrative TherapyLet waves of grief come without rushing them.
Builds awareness of waves of grief as they arise, without needing to push them away or rush through them.
Therapists who work this way: Mindfulness TherapyWork through how the loss changed your relationships and roles.
Looks at how the loss has changed relationships and daily roles, and works through those changes directly.
Therapists who work this way: Interpersonal PsychotherapyA therapist who fits your situation
Our registered therapists have real experience helping people through what you are facing.
Dr. Cathryn Harris
Registered Psychologist
PhD, C.Psych.
Couples, Families, Individuals
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Cathy Penny
Registered Social Worker
BA, BSW, MSW, RRP, RSW
Couples, Families, Individuals
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Rev. Chad Tomlinson
Registered Psychotherapist
MTS, MEd, MA, OCT, RP
Couples, Families, Individuals
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Dan Watterworth
Registered Psychotherapist
BTh, MDiv, RP
Couples, Families, Individuals
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Gretchen Savery
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
MA, BA, RP (Qualifying)
Families, Individuals
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Lisa Bynoe-Stevens
Registered Psychotherapist
BASc, MDiv, CSFT, RP
Couples, Families, Individuals
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Michelle Hodgson
Registered Social Worker
SSW, BA, BSW, MSW, RSW
Couples, Families, Individuals
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Michelle Pennells
Counsellor and Art Therapist
HBA, DTATI (Thesis Pending)
Families, Individuals
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Common questions
No. People may seek support after many forms of loss, including changes in health, relationships, identity, work, fertility, or expected futures.
Grief does not follow one reliable schedule. Support should make room for the person’s circumstances, relationships, culture, and changing needs rather than imposing a fixed sequence.
Couples may experience and express the same loss differently. Couples counselling can offer a place to understand those differences and talk about how each person needs support.
Care you can lean on
Sessions with our registered therapists are covered by most extended health and workplace benefit plans. Not sure what yours includes? We're happy to help you check before you book.
Sessions start at $90 and vary by therapist. Not sure where to begin? Our Intake Specialists can talk through fees, coverage, and which therapist fits what you are facing. Call (905) 319-1488 during business hours.
Ready when you are. We're here to listen.
Browse our registered therapists and reach out when you're ready. We'll usually reply within one business day.