Life has moments of joy and moments of grief and loss. Being a psychosocial counselor, I know that grief is a unique and personal process that feels different for everyone. Through my specialization in grief counseling, I can offer you that helping hand needed to assist and guide you through this difficult time.

Psychosocial counseling is an effective way to help people understand and process various forms of adversity, including grief. Grief is a natural response to loss and can take many forms. Whether it is the loss of a loved one, divorce, loss of health, redundancy, or other life changes, I am here to support you.

• Grieving the loss of a loved one
  • Grief is a very personal process that is also influenced by the circumstances leading up to the loss, such as the cause of the death. For example, when it is the result of a tragic accident, feelings of shock, disbelief and intense pain are just around the corner. The abrupt and unexpected nature of the loss can make it difficult to grasp and accept.
  • In cases of death due to crime, grieving individuals may have to deal with feelings of anger, revenge and injustice. The realization that their loved one's life was intentionally taken can further complicate the grieving process and leave deep emotional scars.
  • For individuals who die or euthanize after a prolonged illness, their loved ones' grieving period often begins before the death. They experience intense grief long beforehand, anticipating the loss and loss to come.
  • With suicide, feelings of guilt and the why question play an important role in the grieving process. Also, the way it happened can be shocking and finding the deceased is often particularly traumatic. These are images that stay on your mind for a long time. 
• Grieving the loss of a baby or child: As a parent, there is no greater nightmare than losing your child. It disrupts the natural course of events: parents are not supposed to outlive their children. Besides the heartbreaking fact that their child is no more, all the dreams and future hopes parents had for their children also go up in smoke. If they have no further children, parents may also begin to doubt their identity: who am I, now that I am no longer a parent?
• Mourning a miscarriage: The loss of an unborn child brings with it a range of feelings. Parents often find it difficult to talk about it with others and do not feel understood by people who have not experienced it. Sometimes there is guilt: Did we do something wrong that led to the miscarriage? There is also fear and uncertainty regarding the future: Can we have a healthy baby in the future, or will it be another miscarriage? The loss leaves a sense of emptiness, leaving parents feeling lonely and lost.
• Grieving the death of a pet: A pet is often looked upon as part of the family. When a pet is gone, a lot changes in the house: it is suddenly a lot quieter and emptier. The loss is great. Some people get a new pet to ease the pain of loss, but for others, it doesn't work. Let's see together what's right for you.
• Grieving a relationship breakup: Whether you are married or not, every relationship breakup is profound and brings pain. The plans you wanted to realize together with your partner did not materialize. Instead of facing and solving things together, you are now on your own. This is a very different situation from the one you saw before you. 
• Grief for health loss: Dealing with illness and the resulting limitations can have a profound effect on both the life of the sick person and their loved ones. Not having enough energy to do the things you enjoy or having to abide by a variety of restrictive living rules is far from easy to accept. By talking about it with a professional, you will gain insight into what these changes mean in your life and how you can cope with them.
• Grieving the loss of work or meaning: The company where you work goes bankrupt or you are fired because your department is closed down. This has quite an impact on your income, your living situation and your relationships. For many people, the work they do defines their identity. Who am I without my work? The good news is that you can learn from setbacks. Try to regain and strengthen your resilience and develop new skills.
• Mourning when someone's personality changes due to dementia: With dementia, there can be personality changes. Due to a failing memory, the person you knew so well is no longer themselves. Connecting with someone who hardly recognizes you, if at all, is very difficult. The person you loved has partially or even completely disappeared, which is very drastic. 

Grief is a unique, individual experience

So there is no "right" way to grieve. Are you struggling to get back on track after a loss? If you make an appointment for an introductory consultation, together we can see if I can help you get back on track. Feel free to call me or send a message. I will help you process grief at your own pace and find your way to recovery.