Grief and Loss therapy

Grief changes you.

When you lose someone, something, or a version of the life you thought you would have, the world can suddenly feel different.

Maybe someone you love died.

Maybe you've lost a relationship.

A marriage.

A pregnancy.

A friendship.

Your health.

Your sense of safety.

Your home.

A future you had imagined.

Sometimes the loss is obvious.

Sometimes other people don't understand why you're grieving at all.

You may hear:

"You need to move on."

"They're in a better place."

"At least..."

"It was a long time ago."

But grief doesn't follow a schedule.

And healing doesn't mean forgetting.

You don't have to get over your loss.

You can learn how to carry it differently.

Grief can look different from one person to another.

You may feel:

• Sad 
• Angry 
• Numb 
• Guilty 
• Anxious 
• Lonely 
• Confused 
• Relieved 
• Overwhelmed 
• Exhausted 
• Disconnected 
• Irritable 
• Unable to concentrate 
• Unable to enjoy things 
• Like you're functioning on autopilot 

You may experience several emotions in the same day.

You may feel okay one moment and completely undone the next.

There is no "right" way to grieve.

Sometimes grief is simply exhausting.

Getting out of bed can feel difficult.

Work feels harder.

Conversations feel harder.

Concentrating feels impossible.

You may be doing everything you can to appear okay while feeling completely different inside.

People may ask:

"How are you doing?"

And you may automatically say:

"I'm fine."

Because you don't know how to explain that you're not.

Therapy can give you somewhere you don't have to say you're fine.

Some losses happen unexpectedly.

A sudden death.

An accident.

A traumatic event.

A suicide.

A violent death.

A medical crisis.

A traumatic separation.

When loss happens suddenly or violently, you may be grieving while also trying to process what happened.

You may replay events.

Have intrusive memories.

Feel constantly on edge.

Struggle to sleep.

Feel numb.

Avoid reminders.

Or feel like your mind cannot make sense of what happened.

This can be grief and trauma at the same time.

Trauma-informed therapy can help you work through both.

Losing someone to suicide can leave behind a kind of grief that is incredibly complicated. You may be grieving the person you loved while also trying to understand something that may never fully make sense.

You may find yourself asking:

"Why?"
"How did I not know?"
"Could I have stopped it?"
"What did I miss?"
"Did they know how much I loved them?"

You may replay conversations, search for signs, or find yourself constantly thinking about what you could have done differently.

You may feel grief, anger, guilt, confusion, abandonment, shame, numbness, or even relief. You may feel angry with the person who died and then feel guilty for being angry.

All of these feelings can exist at the same time.

Suicide loss can also feel incredibly isolating. 

You may not know what to say to other people, or you may feel that others don't understand why this loss feels different. 

You don't have to minimize what happened or protect anyone from your emotions here.

Therapy can provide a safe, compassionate space to talk about the questions, guilt, trauma, anger, and grief that can follow suicide loss. You may never have every answer—and healing doesn't require you to.

You can learn to carry the loss without carrying responsibility for something you could not control.

If you've lost someone to suicide, you don't have to carry it alone.

Pregnancy and infant loss can create a grief that is difficult to explain to others.

This may include:

• Miscarriage 
• Stillbirth 
• Pregnancy termination for medical reasons 
• Infant loss 
• Infertility 
• Failed fertility treatment 
• Loss after a complicated pregnancy 

You may be grieving not only a person, but also an entire future you had imagined.

The nursery.

The name.

The milestones.

The family you thought you were becoming.

You may find it difficult when other people become pregnant or announce a birth.

You may feel guilt, anger, sadness, jealousy, numbness, or all of these at once.

Your loss matters.

You don't need to minimize it because someone else doesn't know what to say.

At Burch Counselling and Consultation, we recognize that grief is deeply personal.

There is no timeline.

No formula.

No single path.

Therapy is adapted to where you are and what you need.

Depending on your circumstances, therapy may incorporate:

Trauma-Informed Therapy

Especially when your loss was sudden, traumatic, violent, or connected to another overwhelming experience.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Helping you understand thoughts and beliefs that may contribute to guilt, anxiety, or distress.

Somatic Therapy

Exploring how grief and trauma are held within the body and developing ways to support regulation.

Nervous System Regulation

Learning to recognize activation, shutdown, and overwhelm and develop strategies for returning to greater regulation.

Mindfulness

Creating space to notice emotions without needing to immediately fix or suppress them.

Solution-Focused Therapy

Identifying strengths and small steps that can help you begin moving forward.

Internal Family Systems-Informed Work

Exploring different parts of yourself with compassion, particularly when grief creates conflicting emotions or internal struggles.

Maybe the loss happened recently.

Maybe it happened years ago.

Maybe everyone around you thinks you should be "over it."

Maybe you're functioning but not really living.

Maybe you simply want somewhere safe to talk about what happened.

Whatever brings you here, you don't have to explain why your grief should matter.

It matters because it mattered to you.

Grief and loss therapy for bereavement, traumatic loss, pregnancy and infant loss, relationship loss, complicated grief, and major life transitions.

In-person therapy in Northumberland County, located in Port Hope. Virtual counselling available throughout Ontario, Canada, and worldwide

There is no universal timeline for grief. Some people experience intense grief for a period of time and gradually find it becomes more manageable. Others experience waves of grief for years. Significant dates and reminders can bring emotions back even after you have been doing well.

Is it normal to feel angry after a loss?

Yes. Anger can be a natural part of grief. You may feel angry about what happened, at another person, at yourself, or simply at the unfairness of the situation.

What if I feel numb instead of sad?

Numbness can be a response to overwhelming loss. Not everyone experiences grief through crying or intense emotion. Sometimes the nervous system creates distance from emotions when they feel too much to process.

What if I feel relieved after someone dies?

Relief can be a complicated but completely human response, particularly when someone has experienced prolonged illness, suffering, or a difficult relationship. Feeling relief does not mean you didn't love the person.

Can I still need therapy if the loss happened years ago?

Absolutely. There is no expiration date on grief. Sometimes grief becomes more difficult during a later life transition or when circumstances finally provide enough space for emotions to emerge

.

Can you help with traumatic loss?

Yes. When loss is sudden, violent, unexpected, or connected to trauma, therapy can address both the grief and traumatic aspects of the experience.

Can you help after a miscarriage or pregnancy loss?

Yes. Pregnancy and infant loss can involve profound grief, trauma, and complicated emotions. Your loss deserves space to be acknowledged and processed.

Can you help after the end of a relationship?

Yes. Relationship loss can involve significant grief, particularly when the relationship involved years of shared experiences, children, or hopes for the future.

What if I am grieving an abusive relationship?

Leaving an abusive relationship can involve grief, even when leaving was necessary for your safety. You may grieve the person, the relationship you hoped for, or the future you imagined. Therapy can help you work through these conflicting emotions while maintaining a focus on safety and healing.

Do I need a referral?

No. You can contact Burch Counselling and Consultation directly to inquire about therapy.

Do you offer virtual grief counselling?

Yes. Virtual counselling is available throughout Ontario, Canada, and worldwide when clinically appropriate.

For more frequently asked questions, visit or FAQ page.