Bereavement Support

Experiencing a loss is a monumentally difficult part of life. While we can’t take away the pain that you’re feeling, we can provide guidance and support to make this hard time more manageable. Below, we outline some key information about grief and bereavement and invite you to explore our resource section.

We offer a range of services to help families manage this incredibly challenging time. From individual and group counselling recommendations to therapy dogs and mindful meditation, we believe that no two people are alike and tailor our bereavement support accordingly.

How to Cope with Loss During the Holidays

We are always available to talk about grief and bereavement support. Contact us to discuss how we can help you.

What You Need to Know About Grief

Navigating grief can be lonely and confusing. It can help to understand what these big, overwhelming feelings are all about.

Grief is Normal

First and foremost, what you are feeling is normal. It is uniquely yours and indescribable to anyone else, but you are not alone. It’s normal to feel overcome with sadness, to feel incapable of imagining life ever being enjoyable again. It’s normal to wonder how you’ll ever get through what will be one of the hardest experiences of your life. Grief is messy and hard. It isn’t linear and can’t be neatly summed up or tidily resolved.

Grief Has its Own Agenda

Grief doesn’t follow a pre-determined timeline. It can’t be categorized or predicted. What works for one person may be counterproductive to another. It’s important to understand that you cannot control the way you feel, nor can you expect it to play out procedurally.

Grief is often described as being like big, overwhelming waves. It ebbs and flows, sometimes catching you off guard. It can be hard for those who aren’t experiencing the grieving process to understand, despite their best intentions. Well-meaning friends who advise you to “try to be strong” or “just don’t focus on it” don’t intend to lessen the significance of your experience, they just don’t understand.

Society has produced impractical expectations when it comes to grief and bereavement- don’t let yourself get caught up in this. What’s important is understanding and honouring the uniqueness of your grief.

Grief Should Not Be Experienced Alone

One of the most challenging aspects of grief is reconciling the tremendous feelings of isolation with the need to be supported. People naturally shy away from confronting heavy subjects, making it hard to reach out when you need to. Some are scared to say the wrong things, others aren’t comfortable tackling painful topics. You might feel let down by people you had hoped would be supportive but know that usually, that wasn’t their intention.

Finding an individual or group setting where you can safely and openly discuss your grief is essential. There is no one-size-fits-all solution but with a little trial and error, you’ll find a place to work through your experience and reach out for support.

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