Grief counselling for many kinds of loss, offered in a collaborative and client-centred way, at a pace you set. Care provided by regulated professionals, including Registered Psychologists. All psychologists at the clinic are registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP). Available in person in Edmonton and St. Albert, and virtually across Alberta.

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You Might Be Wondering Whether Grief and Loss Therapy Is Right for You

You may be asking yourself whether your grief really counts. Maybe the loss was some time ago, and part of you feels you should be further along by now. Maybe it was a kind of loss that other people did not seem to treat as a loss at all.

Grief does not always look the way people expect. Some days you get through the tasks in front of you and feel almost normal. Then a song, a date on the calendar, or an empty chair brings it back. You might find yourself pulling away from people who have not done anything wrong, or carrying a heaviness that stays even when the day around you is ordinary.

These are common responses to loss. They do not mean you are grieving the wrong way, and they do not mean something is broken in you. Grief is what happens when something that mattered is gone.

If you are trying to decide whether talking with someone could help, you may find it useful to read on and see what this kind of support actually looks like.

Who Grief and Loss Therapy May Suit

People reach out for grief counselling at very different points. This service may be a good fit if you recognize yourself in any of the following.

• You are carrying grief after the death of a loved one and want a steady place to talk.
• You are grieving a loss that is not about death, such as a divorce or separation, a job loss, a health change, or the loss of a pet.
• You are living through pregnancy or perinatal loss, or the loss of a child.
• You are supporting someone else who is grieving and feel worn down yourself.
• You want help getting through anniversaries, transitions, or difficult decisions after a loss.
• You are not in crisis, but you would like more support than you have right now.

Grief counselling may not be the right fit in some situations, and there are better first steps for those.

• If you are in immediate danger or thinking about ending your life, please use the crisis resources below rather than waiting for an appointment.
• If you need a custody evaluation, a court report, or another legal or forensic service, that work sits outside this therapy service. Psychological assessments are a separate service at the clinic.
• If you are looking for a formal diagnosis or a psychological assessment, that is also handled separately from grief counselling.

If You Need Help Right Now

Wholesome Psychology is not an emergency or crisis service. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, or you are thinking about suicide, please reach out to one of the following right away.

• Call 911 for an immediate emergency or risk to life.
• Alberta Mental Health Help Line: 1-877-303-2642 (24 hours, 7 days a week).
• 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline: call or text 988 (24 hours, 7 days a week).
• Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741741.

Wholesome Psychology is not an emergency or crisis service. If a situation is urgent, please contact one of the resources above or go to your nearest emergency department.

What Grief and Loss Therapy Is

Grief and loss therapy is a private space to talk about what has changed, what still hurts, and what daily life looks like now. Depending on your goals and the therapist's scope, sessions may make room for emotions, routines, relationships, anniversaries, changes in identity, and practical coping after a loss.

It helps to be clear about what this service is not. Therapy is not a legal service, an investigative process, or a crisis intervention. It does not provide a diagnosis, and it is not a psychological assessment. Assessments are offered separately.

The pace is set by you, not by the therapist. People grieve in different ways and at different speeds, and counselling is not about forcing a timeline.

What you share in sessions is treated as confidential, within limits that your clinician will explain. A fuller explanation of confidentiality appears later on this page.

Experiences People Often Notice After a Loss

Grief shows up in the body, the mind, and everyday relationships. You may recognize some of the patterns below, and you may not. There is no checklist that decides whether your grief is real.

• Waves of sadness, numbness, or longing that come and go without warning.
• Trouble with sleep, appetite, concentration, or getting through routine tasks.
• Feeling more irritable, anxious, or on edge than usual.
• Pulling away from people, or feeling apart from them even in a room full of company.
• Guilt, regret, or replaying conversations and decisions.
• Changes in how you see yourself, your future, or your place in a family.
• Tiredness or physical tension that does not seem to have a clear cause.
• Dreading anniversaries, holidays, or reminders of the person or thing you lost.

Having these experiences does not mean something is permanently wrong with you. They are common reactions to loss, and for many people they soften over time. If they feel like more than you can carry alone, structured support can give you a place to work with them.

How Grief Counselling Works Here

Getting started is meant to be straightforward. Here is how the process usually unfolds.

• Find your therapist. You can use the Match with a therapist tool or review profiles on the Our Therapists page. If you would rather talk it through, the admin team can help at 780-904-4880.
• Book your first session. The first appointment usually covers consent and confidentiality, a discussion of what feels most important to you, and your goals for counselling. It is also a chance to see how the therapist feels to talk to.
• Build your plan together. You and your therapist shape a plan that fits your situation. It is co-created, and your voice guides it.
• Ongoing sessions. Follow-up appointments are commonly weekly or bi-weekly, adjusted as needed. Sessions are 50 minutes long.
• Progress check-ins. Your therapist reviews how things are going with you on a regular basis, and the plan can change as your needs change.

There is no fixed number of sessions. Grief counselling is collaborative, and what happens is shaped with you rather than decided for you. You can read more about the process on the Getting Started with Therapy page.

What Grief and Loss Therapy May Involve

Grief counselling at Wholesome Psychology is collaborative and client-centred rather than built around a single fixed technique. The focus is on what is workable for you, at your pace. Depending on the therapist and your goals, sessions may include the following.

• Making space for difficult emotions without judging them.
• Understanding how the loss is affecting your daily life, sleep, and routines.
• Finding ways to get through especially hard moments, such as anniversaries.
• Exploring communication with partners, family members, or caregivers.
• Talking about memory, meaning, ritual, and continued connection.
• Adjusting the focus and pace of counselling over time as your needs shift.

Bereavement care has been examined in published research, including a systematic review of care for bereaved people (Ahluwalia et al., 2026). This page treats that work only as background that the topic has been studied. It does not draw treatment-specific conclusions, promise particular outcomes, or claim that one approach works better than another, because the evidence gathered for this page does not support those claims. What counselling looks like for you would be worked out with your therapist based on your goals and what you find helpful.

What to Expect From the Work

Grief does not move in a straight line. Some weeks feel steadier, and others do not, and that back and forth is a normal part of the process rather than a sign of failure.

Some people notice shifts within a few months of steady work. Others find that longer-term support fits their situation better. What is helpful depends on many things, including the nature of the loss, what else is happening in your life, and how well you and your therapist work together.

No therapy can guarantee an outcome, and counselling does not aim to make grief disappear or to help you "get over" someone. Therapeutic fit matters a great deal, and changing your therapist or approach is always an option if the work is not feeling right.

Confidentiality and Privacy

What you share in therapy is treated as confidential. Registered Psychologists and Registered Provisional Psychologists work within the professional standards of the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP) and the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) Code of Ethics; Registered Social Workers are regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW); and Certified Canadian Counsellors hold certification through the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA). Clinicians also work within applicable Alberta privacy law, including the Health Information Act (HIA) and the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA).

Confidentiality has limits, and it is not absolute. There are specific situations where a clinician may be required to share information.

• When there is a risk of serious harm to you or to someone else.
• When there is suspected abuse or neglect of a child, which carries a duty to report under Alberta law.
• When a court orders that records or information be released.

Your clinician will explain these limits clearly during the first session. You are welcome to ask questions about privacy before you share anything personal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to describe what happened in detail?

No. You set the pace, and you decide how much to share and when. Some people find it helps to tell the story of their loss, and others prefer to work with how grief is showing up in the present, such as sleep, routines, or relationships. Your therapist follows your lead rather than pressing for details.

Is what I share kept private?

Yes, within limits. What you share is confidential. Registered Psychologists and Registered Provisional Psychologists work within the standards of the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP); Registered Social Workers are regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW); and Certified Canadian Counsellors hold certification through the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA). Clinicians also work within applicable Alberta privacy law, including the Health Information Act (HIA) and the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA). There are a few specific exceptions, such as a risk of serious harm, suspected child abuse or neglect, or a court order. See the confidentiality section above for more detail.

How many sessions will I need?

There is no fixed answer. Some people find that a shorter stretch of counselling is enough, while others prefer longer-term support. Your therapist reviews progress with you regularly, and the plan can change as your needs change.

What if the therapist is not the right fit?

Fit matters, and it is common to want to try someone else. If a therapist does not feel right, the admin team can help you find a different clinician, and you can use the match tool to compare options. New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

Can I access therapy online?

Yes. Virtual sessions are available across Alberta, alongside in-person care in Edmonton and St. Albert. The same confidentiality standards apply to virtual sessions.

Is grief therapy only for the death of a loved one?

No. People seek grief counselling after many kinds of loss. That can include the death of a loved one, but also pregnancy or perinatal loss, the loss of a child, a divorce or separation, a health change, a job loss, or the loss of a pet.

Can I bring a support person?

Many people find it helpful to have someone with them, and this is something you can raise with your therapist. Whether a support person joins a session can depend on your goals and the focus of the work, so it is worth discussing when you book.

Meet Your Clinicians

Wholesome Psychology works with a range of regulated and supervised professionals. These include Registered Psychologists, Registered Provisional Psychologists, Registered Social Workers, Certified Canadian Counsellors, Mental Health Therapists, and Student Therapists. Registered Psychologists and Registered Provisional Psychologists are registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP), and provisional psychologists practise under the supervision of a senior registered psychologist. Registered Social Workers are regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW), and Certified Canadian Counsellors hold certification through the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA).

Many clinicians have experience supporting people through grief, loss, and major life transitions. Because availability depends on clinician fit and current openings, it can help to review profiles or ask for guidance before booking. You can explore the Our Therapists page for individual profiles, use the Match with a therapist tool, or call the admin team at 780-904-4880.

Grief Support for Children and Youth

Loss affects children and young people too, and it often reshapes a whole family. Wholesome Psychology offers counselling for children, adolescents, and young people, and clinicians who work with younger clients use age-appropriate approaches.

Therapists can also work alongside caregivers, so that the people around a child are better able to support them at home. If you are a parent or caregiver wondering how to help a grieving child, the admin team can help you find a suitable clinician.

Taking the Next Step

If you would like to explore grief and loss therapy in Edmonton, St. Albert, or virtually across Alberta, you can start whenever you are ready.

• Book a session online through the booking system.
• Use the Match with a therapist tool.
• Read the Getting Started with Therapy page.
• Call 780-904-4880 or email info@wholesomepsychology.ca.

New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

Starting the conversation is enough.

References

• Ahluwalia, S., Bandini, J., Maglione, M., Miles, J., O'Hollaren, K., Zhang, D., Yedavalli, M., Yagyu, S., Motala, A., & Hempel, S. (2026). Care of bereaved persons: A systematic review. Annals of Internal Medicine, 179(4). https://doi.org/10.7326/ANNALS-24-03679
• College of Alberta Psychologists. (2023). Standards of Practice. https://www.cap.ab.ca/
• Canadian Psychological Association. (2017). Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists (4th ed.). https://cpa.ca/