Grief & Loss Counselling in Surrey & Across BC
Grief counselling at Soothing Souls provides a patient, non-judgmental space to honour your unique sorrow following the loss of a loved one, a relationship ending, a pregnancy loss, or an ambiguous life transition. We do not rush you through arbitrary stages; we offer compassionate companionship, nervous system pacing, and practical support to carry loss alongside life.
Is This Support Right for You?
You might resonate with this counselling focus if you are navigating:
- Feeling overwhelmed by waves of sadness, numbness, anger, or guilt following the death of a significant person
- Experiencing ambiguous loss — such as the decline of an aging parent with dementia, an estrangement, or a chronic health diagnosis
- Navigating disenfranchised grief that others may minimize — such as pregnancy loss, pet bereavement, or the end of an unacknowledged relationship
- Feeling intense societal pressure to 'move on' or be resilient when your heart is still deeply aching
- Struggling with disorientation, brain fog, fatigue, and difficulty resuming daily responsibilities
- Seeking an unhurried clinical environment where all of your emotional reactions are welcomed and respected
Grief is Not a Problem to Be Solved
When you experience a significant loss, people around you often do not know what to say. Well-meaning friends and colleagues may urge you to “stay strong,” look on the bright side, or return to normal before you are ready.
In our clinical practice, we recognize that grief is not a disease or a psychological defect — it is the natural, healthy price of love. You do not need to be fixed or cheered up. You need a safe, compassionate witness who can sit with you in the quiet aftermath of loss without flinching.
What We Explore in Bereavement Counselling
Our virtual sessions provide compassionate containment for whatever arises:
- Holding Complex Emotions: Making space for anger, relief, numbness, longing, and guilt alongside sadness.
- Dual-Process Navigation: Balancing the need to immerse yourself in mourning with the necessity of tending to everyday practical life.
- Continuing Bonds: Exploring how to maintain an enduring, meaningful inner connection to the person or life you lost.
- Compassion for Your Body: Understanding the profound physical toll of grief and offering gentle nervous system soothing tools.
Fees, Extended Health & Direct Billing
Clinical sessions are $160. Most British Columbia extended health insurance plans cover sessions with a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC).
We provide direct billing for participating extended health plans via TELUS eClaims and Provider Connect (e.g. Pacific Blue Cross, Sun Life, Canada Life, Manulife), as well as direct billing for eligible ICBC Enhanced Care claims. Official receipts containing Rimsha Qureshi's BCACC registration (#29320) are issued immediately following every session for seamless submission.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a 'normal' timeline for grief?
No. Grief does not follow a linear path or an arbitrary calendar. While popular culture often references five linear stages, clinical research confirms that grief comes in uneven waves of intensity, numbness, longing, and adaptation. Our role is not to speed up your grief, but to support you in carrying it without being crushed by it.
What is ambiguous or disenfranchised grief?
Disenfranchised grief refers to a loss that is not openly acknowledged, socially mourned, or publicly validated by society — such as early miscarriage, estrangement, or losing a companion animal. Ambiguous loss involves loss without closure, such as a loved one living with severe cognitive decline. In counselling, we validate and honour these deep, often silent losses.
How do you support someone experiencing acute bereavement?
In the early stages of bereavement, therapy focuses on containment, self-compassion, nervous system soothing, and helping you navigate day-to-day survival tasks. As time passes, we create space to process complex emotions, honour memories, and explore how to re-engage with life while holding your love for what was lost.
Can grief trigger physical symptoms in the body?
Yes. Grief has profound physical manifestations: deep fatigue, a heavy chest, digestive upset, disrupted sleep, and immune vulnerability. We incorporate gentle somatic grounding to help your body feel supported during intense sorrow.
Does extended health insurance cover grief counselling?
Yes. In British Columbia, most extended health benefit plans provide reimbursement for Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCC). We direct-bill participating extended health plans via TELUS eClaims and Provider Connect.
Related Clinical Services
Individual experiences with counselling vary and outcomes cannot be guaranteed.