The complexities of grief and life transitions

Major life changes and transitions can be riddled with grief for many reasons. The permanence surrounding what no longer is can ache. And if you have experienced the loss of someone close to you it is not uncommon for those painful feelings to resurface during a transition. Perhaps you are going through a change you anticipated being filled with joy- getting married, moving, graduating college or becoming a parent. Instead you are met with feeling overwhelmed and anxious. Often these are points in life clients I see first sought therapy. It is important to know that our experiences are nuanced. It is when we slow down and really listen to ourselves that we can begin to respond differently and overtime feel more grounded.

Coping with death

If you are coping with the loss of someone close to you, no matter your feelings about them, it can be harrowing. The process of mourning is quite demanding especially if it is not witnessed. I believe healing can come from listening for what is not being said perhaps because it is filled with the unthinkable. This involves pacing ourselves, and slowing down. There is no one size fits all to healing. My approach is gentle, and will follow your pace so that together we can care for what has felt unbearable and reimagine what is possible.

Loss of an experience you never had

Sometimes we mourn what we never had but were supposed to. Having our reality honored and emotions attuned to is essential in childhood. Often times problems in adulthood can be associated to never having something that was essential to our development. Coming to realize what you missed out on but needed can evoke a range of emotions and bring us into a state of mourning. Slowing down around our identified problems can lead to greater self awareness, new insights and change that lasts.

Why therapy for grief and life transitions?

Loss in it’s many forms is destabilizing. No one should go it alone. Knowing you are not alone can be therapeutic. Having the experience of a consistent relationship with someone who understands, and can hold space for the pain without turning away can open us up to so much more good. In my own personal experience and working with clients going through a wide range of difficulties, it is possible to feel joy again, less weighed down or afraid, and move on with a sense of freedom.

If you are considering therapy for grief, loss or any other type of major life change I would love to hear from you.