What Is Grief Counselling and How Does It Help?

Grief can change everything. Whether you have lost a partner, family member, friend, pregnancy, pet, relationship, or a life dream, you might feel like the ground beneath you has shifted. At Monarch Psychology in Calgary, we meet many people who wonder if what they are feeling is “normal,” how long grief is supposed to last, and whether grief counselling could actually help.

In this article, we explain what grief counselling is, what may happen in sessions, how it may support different types of grief, and what to expect if you are considering grief counselling in Calgary or online across Alberta.

What Is Grief Counselling?

 

Grief counselling is a type of therapy that focuses on helping you adjust after a loss. It may involve talking about the person or situation you lost, your emotions, your beliefs, and how your life has changed. Grief counselling is not about “getting over it” or forcing you to move on. Instead, it aims to help you carry your grief in a way that feels more manageable and connected to your values and relationships.

At Monarch, our team of registered psychologists and social workers in Calgary offers grief therapy that can be tailored to individual adults, children and teens, couples, and families. We provide both grief counselling in Calgary in person and secure online grief therapy across Alberta, so you can access support in the way that feels most comfortable.

 

Types of Grief and When to Seek Support

 

Grief can look and feel different from person to person. Some people notice intense waves of sadness that come and go. Others feel numb, irritable, or anxious. You might experience:

• Acute grief right after a loss, when emotions feel raw and overwhelming
• Anticipatory grief when a loss is expected, such as a serious or terminal illness
• Complicated grief or prolonged grief disorder, when intense grief continues for a long time and makes it very hard to function day to day³

 

Prolonged grief disorder occurs in relation to the loss of a loved one and is described as a severe and persistent grief response, with intense yearning, preoccupation with the person who died, and deep social and emotional disruption.³ It is linked with negative physical and mental health outcomes and can significantly interfere with daily life.³

Seeking grief support in Calgary or online may be especially helpful if you:

• Feel stuck in grief and unable to adapt to your new normal
• Struggle to work, parent, or maintain relationships because of your grief
• Experience strong guilt, anger, or trauma-related memories
• Notice that grief is worsening other concerns like anxiety, depression, or PTSD symptoms

 

How Does Grief Counselling Help?

 

Grief counselling may help you make sense of your loss, understand your emotional reactions, and slowly build a new way of living that honours what or who you have lost. For many people, therapy also becomes a safe place to express feelings that feel too heavy to share with friends or family.

For people with prolonged grief disorder, psychotherapeutic interventions, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), are described as effective for reducing grief symptoms .³ Some approaches that combine CBT with other therapies such as mindfulness, exposure, or EMDR are suggested to be promising for trauma-related grief.³

Mindfulness-based strategies are also being explored as a way to support mental health after bereavement. Mindfulness practices are associated with lower levels of prolonged grief and related problems such as depression and post-traumatic stress symptoms in bereaved adults.¹ Mindfulness-based interventions appear promising in research for lessening secondary mental health difficulties after a loss.¹

Evidence-Based Approaches We May Use

 

At Monarch Psychology, we use evidence-informed approaches to grief therapy in Calgary, always tailoring them to you and your story. Depending on your needs, your registered psychologist or social worker may draw on:

• CBT for grief – CBT may help you notice unhelpful patterns in your thoughts and behaviours (for example, self-blame or avoidance) and gently shift them, which is suggested to reduce symptoms in prolonged grief disorder.³
• Mindfulness-based strategies – Mindfulness practices may support you in staying present with your emotions and can contribute to improvements in depression and post-traumatic stress symptoms after bereavement.¹
• Emotion-focused and relationship-based work – These approaches may help with expressing emotions, navigating family and couple dynamics after a loss, and finding ways to stay connected to your loved one’s memory.
• Online CBT-style approaches – Internet-based CBT formats are described as effective for people with prolonged grief disorder, including caregivers, and may be helpful when in-person sessions are difficult to attend.^2,3

We also consider your culture, beliefs, and the unique nature of your loss. Research highlights the importance of personalized and culturally sensitive grief treatments that match the diverse circumstances surrounding a loss.³

What Happens in Grief Counselling?

 

People often ask, “What happens in grief counselling?” While each therapy plan is unique, sessions at our Calgary clinic or online may include:

• Talking about your loss at your own pace
• Exploring the relationship you had with the person or situation
• Processing strong emotions like anger, guilt, regret, or relief
• Learning coping tools for difficult moments and triggers
• Gently addressing avoidance or fears that keep you feeling stuck³
• Using mindfulness or grounding skills to manage waves of emotion¹
• Identifying your values and goals as you rebuild your life

 

If trauma is connected to your loss, your psychologist may integrate approaches like exposure-based work or ART/EMDR-informed strategies, which are suggested to be helpful for trauma-related grief when combined with CBT.³

 

How Long Does Grief Counselling Take?

 

There is no single timeline for grief therapy. Some people attend a few sessions to get support during a particularly hard period or specific anniversary. Others prefer longer-term grief counselling to process complicated grief, long-standing patterns, or multiple losses.

In our work together, we collaborate with you to set goals and revisit them regularly, so therapy feels purposeful and aligned with what you need.

Is Grief Counselling Worth It?

 

For many people, grief therapy provides a non-judgmental space where they finally feel understood. Psychotherapeutic approaches for prolonged grief disorder are associated with meaningful improvements in symptoms and functioning. 

Beyond symptom relief, grief counselling may help you:

• Feel less alone and more supported in your loss
• Understand that there is no “right” way to grieve
• Find ways to keep a meaningful connection with your loved one
• Rebuild routines, relationships, and a sense of purpose

 

At Monarch, we aim to offer grief support in Calgary and online that feels safe, compassionate, and grounded in current evidence, while honouring the deeply personal nature of grief.

FAQ: Grief Counselling in Calgary

 

What is the difference between grief counselling and bereavement counselling?

People often use “grief counselling” and “bereavement counselling” interchangeably. In our clinic, both terms refer to therapy that focuses on loss—often the death of a loved one, but also other major losses like separation, illness, or life changes. Whether you are searching for grief counselling in Calgary or bereavement counselling in Calgary, we focus on helping you adapt to your loss in a way that respects your values and culture.³

How do I know if I have prolonged grief disorder?

Prolonged grief disorder involves persistent, intense grief that continues for a long time, with strong yearning or preoccupation with the person who died and serious disruption in social and emotional functioning.³ If your grief feels stuck, overwhelming, or is making it very hard to manage daily life, a registered psychologist or social worker for grief in Calgary can help you explore whether prolonged grief might fit and what kinds of support could be helpful.

Can online grief therapy really help?

Online grief counselling and internet-based CBT (ICBT) have been described as effective for people dealing with prolonged grief disorder, including caregivers, with positive effect sizes reported across several studies.^2,3 For many clients across Alberta, virtual sessions make it easier to access grief support consistently, especially when transportation, mobility, caregiving responsibilities, or distance from Calgary are barriers.

What if my grief is about something other than a death?

Grief does not only follow a death. People can grieve the end of a relationship, a change in health, a lost opportunity, or a major life transition. Our team regularly supports clients with a wide range of losses, including complicated grief connected to trauma, long-term caregiving, or multiple stressors over time.³

Will grief counselling make me forget my loved one?

Grief therapy is not about forgetting. Many people actually feel that therapy helps them remember in a more connected and less overwhelming way. Approaches that integrate modalities are meant to reduce suffering and support functioning while still honouring your bond with the person you lost.^1,3

Is grief counselling right for children and teens?

Children and adolescents grieve too, even if it looks different from adult grief. At Monarch, we offer child and adolescent therapy for grief and loss, using developmentally appropriate tools and working closely with caregivers. 

If you are wondering how to cope with grief, whether you are facing recent loss, complicated grief, or prolonged grief disorder, our team at Monarch Psychology is here to walk alongside you with compassion and evidence-informed care.

Book an appointment with our team to explore grief counselling in Calgary or online across Alberta.

Learn more about our clinic and services at Monarch Psychology.

References

1. Sun X, et al. Mindfulness in Adaptation to Bereavement: A Systematic Review. Clin Psychol Psychother. 2025. doi:10.1002/cpp.70198
2. Dsouza VF, et al. A systematic review of internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy studies for prolonged grief disorder: Insights. Geriatr Nurs. 2025. doi:10.1016/j.gerinurse.2025.103438
3. Srivastava T, et al. The efficacy of psychotherapeutic interventions for prolonged grief disorder: A systematic review. J Affect Disord. 2025. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2025.03.173