Common signs
If any of these sound familiar, you are not alone, and none of them are a character flaw.
- Paralyzed-by-routine mornings: getting out of bed feels like lifting a boulder
- Sensory triggers (a song, a scent, a cereal aisle) that ambush you without warning
- Grief brain: mental fog, forgetfulness, and irritation at a world that kept moving
- Withdrawing from friends and ignoring check-in texts because answering feels intolerable
- Late-night replay loops, vivid dreams, and waking at 3 a.m. in a wave of panic
Careworks Counselling & Psychotherapy provides compassionate, specialized grief support across Newfoundland. Therapy with our main grief therapist, Brittany, is delivered securely online (virtually), so you can access dedicated grief care from the quiet of your home. In-person therapy for other clinical needs is also available at our clinic in Conception Bay South, NL.
Book a free 20-minute consultation
Services provided by registrants of the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario and Certified Canadian Counsellors at Careworks, a Newfoundland-based collective practice.
Does This Sound Familiar?
Paralyzed by Routine
You wake up in the morning, and before your eyes even open, the reality of your loss hits. The sheer effort of pulling back the blankets feels like lifting a boulder, leaving you staring at the ceiling for hours as making coffee, showering, or opening the mail feels impossible and pointless. You spend the day in survival mode, moving in slow motion and wearing the same clothes for days because your system simply has nothing left to give.
The Sensory Trigger
Your day starts off relatively stable until an ordinary moment catches you off guard. Passing a specific brand of cereal in the grocery store aisle, hearing a certain song on the radio, or catching a fleeting scent can ambush you mid-task. You find yourself abandoning your shopping cart mid-aisle, pulling your car over to the shoulder, or locking yourself in a public restroom to sob, and the loss feels brand new all over again.
Fog and Friction
You attempt to manage work, family duties, or basic external responsibilities, but severe “grief brain” takes over. You struggle with mental fog, forgetfulness, and an inability to concentrate on even the simplest tasks, alongside irritation at a world that keeps moving while yours has stopped. You catch yourself replaying the last conversation or the final hours over and over, trying to find what you missed.
Isolation and Avoidance
When friends or family reach out with invitations or check-in texts, you feel a disconnect from everyone around you. You ignore phone calls, let notifications pile up, and close the blinds because the exhaustion of pretending to be “okay” or answering “How are you holding up?” feels intolerable. You withdraw into isolation, choosing the heavy comfort of loneliness over the effort of socializing when half of who you used to be feels missing.
Midnight Replay
As the sun goes down and the distractions of the day fade, the silence of the house brings a familiar, painful insomnia. You lie awake replaying memories, wondering if you could have done something differently, and thinking that you would give anything just to hear them breathe one more time. If you do manage to fall asleep, you are met with vivid dreams, waking up at 3:00 AM in a wave of panic, and the realization arrives again: they are gone. All the while a thought loops, “I feel like I’m going crazy, and I just can’t seem to click back into reality.”
What Is Actually Going On
When you experience a significant loss, your brain and nervous system undergo a massive biological and emotional shift. Grief is not merely a strong feeling or a problem to be solved; it is a full-body response to the sudden severance of an essential attachment bond.
It is completely normal for bereavement to cause severe brain fog, memory lapses, sudden emotional outbursts, intense physical exhaustion, and chest pain. Your brain spent years mapping the constant presence of your loved one, and when they are gone, your mind continuously attempts to locate them. This biological search response explains why you might hear their voice calling from the other room, look for them in crowds, or feel entirely detached from daily life.
Feeling deeply angry, disoriented, or physically aching is not a sign that you are failing at grieving or losing your mind. It is a natural reflection of how deeply you loved and how profoundly your life has been altered. Grief does not follow a neat, linear timeline, and you do not need to “get over it” to begin finding a way forward.
How Grief Focused Therapy Can Help
Grief counselling provides a quiet space where you do not have to protect anyone else from your sorrow or pretend to have it together. Rather than trying to rush your healing or force you to “move on,” specialized grief support offers compassionate companioning through the pain.
Working with a dedicated grief therapist can support you in:
- Understanding pain and numbness: Learning why your mind alternates between overwhelming emotional waves and sudden, protective emotional fatigue.
- Processing complex emotions: Expressing unspoken anger, guilt, regret, and relief in a safe, completely non-judgmental environment.
- Honouring continuing bonds: Finding meaningful, enduring ways to hold onto your love and memories without feeling like you are letting go of them.
- Gentle nervous system support: Managing the physical exhaustion, heavy anxiety, and insomnia that so often accompany grief.
Meet Brittany: Specialized Online Grief Therapy
At Careworks, our primary practitioner for grief, bereavement, and loss is Brittany.
Brittany is a therapist specializing in grief care who has completed advanced training as a Certified Grief Educator and a Certified Grief Coach with David Kessler of grief.com. Her practice is rooted in deep empathy, honouring what your loss means to you, and helping you carry grief without being consumed by it.
Virtual Care Designed for Comfort
To ensure you can receive support without the burden of driving or sitting in a waiting room when your energy is depleted, sessions with Brittany are conducted entirely online via secure video.
Note: While Brittany’s specialized grief practice is strictly virtual, our broader Careworks practice collective continues to offer in-person therapy at our clinic in Conception Bay South, NL, as well as virtual care for clients across Newfoundland, Ontario, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut, where the therapist's registration permits.
What Sessions Look Like
Taking the step to seek support during bereavement should feel gentle and low-demand:
- Free 20-minute consultation: A brief, quiet conversation over the phone or video to share what you are going through and see if Brittany’s approach feels right for you.
- Matching & scheduling: Confirming secure virtual appointment times that fit your current energy levels and daily rhythm.
- First session (50 minutes): A gentle intake where you can speak about your loss at your own pace, with zero pressure to share more than you feel ready to.
- Ongoing support: Regular video sessions scheduled at a pace that fits where you are.
Who This Is For
Our grief and bereavement support is tailored for individuals navigating many forms of loss:
- Adults & Young Adults: Coping with the death of a parent, partner, spouse, sibling, child, or close friend.
- Complex & Sudden Loss: Navigating unexpected deaths, traumatic loss, long-term illness, or suicide bereavement.
- Ambiguous & Unrecognized Loss: Processing disenfranchised grief, pet loss, relationship endings, or major life transitions.
- Virtual Delivery: Secure online therapy available for clients located in Newfoundland, Ontario, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut, where the therapist's registration permits.
Not Sure Where to Start?
Navigating options while grieving can feel overwhelming when your cognitive bandwidth is low.
You are welcome to take our brief, 5-minute educational quiz: What Therapy Is Right for You?
Note: The quiz is educational and non-diagnostic. It serves as a gentle starting point for conversation with a therapist, not a formal diagnosis or a guarantee of specific therapeutic outcomes.
Ready to Begin?
You do not have to carry the weight of loss entirely on your own. Therapy offers a quiet, compassionate space to honour your pain and find your footing at your own pace.
Book a free 20-minute consultation: a brief, quiet conversation to share what you are going through and see if this feels like the right fit.
Related Resources
- Explore our EMDR & Trauma Therapy Options
- Learn more about our Affordable Options
Frequently asked questions
What makes Brittany's grief approach unique?
Brittany is a specialized therapist certified as a Grief Educator and Grief Coach with David Kessler (grief.com). Her work focuses on companioning you through loss with deep validation rather than attempting to fix your pain.
Are grief therapy sessions available in-person?
Sessions with our grief specialist, Brittany, are conducted online (virtually) to allow clients to receive care comfortably from home. However, in-person therapy for other clinical focus areas is available through our collective practice in Conception Bay South, NL.
Do I need a doctor's referral to book grief therapy?
No, a physician's referral is not required. You can book a free 20-minute consultation directly through our online system.
How much do sessions cost?
Individual therapy sessions at Careworks range from $135 to $180 per session. We also offer reduced rates with qualifying practice interns and group options to assist with financial accessibility.
Is online grief counselling covered by health insurance?
Many extended health benefits plans cover services provided by Registered Psychotherapists and Certified Canadian Counsellors. We encourage you to check your specific policy details with your insurance carrier.
What if I start crying during our virtual session and can't stop?
Tears are a completely natural and welcome expression of grief. Your virtual room is a safe, unhurried space where you are never expected to hide your emotions or apologize for crying.
How long are standard virtual grief sessions?
Standard individual virtual therapy sessions last 50 minutes.
Can I do virtual therapy if I live outside St. John's or CBS?
Yes. We offer secure virtual sessions to clients located across Newfoundland, Ontario, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut, provided the therapist's registration permits.
Is it too early or too late to start grief therapy?
There is no fixed timeline for grief support. Whether your loss occurred days ago, several months ago, or many years in the past, therapy can offer a helpful space whenever you feel ready to reach out.
How many sessions will I need?
Because every loss and individual is unique, the number of sessions varies. You and your therapist will check in regularly to ensure the frequency and pace continue to feel supportive for you.