Trauma-informed Grief Counselling in Calgary and online
New hope after loss
If you are reading these words after the loss of a loved one, I want to offer my heartfelt condolences. I am sorry for your loss. Whatever form your grief takes, you are here for a reason, and I invite you to explore how I can support you with grief counselling in Calgary and online.
Grief is a natural and valid response to loss.
Loss comes in many forms, sometimes it’s something tangible, like the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, a miscarriage or abortion, or changes in health or career. Other times, it’s more intangible, like losing a sense of identity, safety, or a future you once imagined. Trauma-informed grief counselling in Calgary recognizes these many layers of grief and how earlier life experiences or trauma can shape your healing journey.
Have you noticed how some losses feel harder to talk about?
Honouring disenfranchised grief
Some types of grief are often overlooked or minimized. This is called disenfranchised grief—grieving the loss of a friendship, a queer or same-sex partner, a pet, a miscarriage, an estranged family member, or other deeply personal losses that others may not understand or acknowledge. These losses can feel isolating, especially when they aren’t recognized within your community or culture.
My approach to grief counselling sees these social patterns and honours all grief, including those often left unspoken.
The interconnection between trauma and loss
Trauma and grief are deeply connected. You might be grieving not only external losses but also loss of trust, connection, or parts of yourself. If you’ve experienced trauma before, your grief may feel more complex and can resurface with new losses or life transitions. That’s why I integrate trauma-informed care into my grief counselling approach—to support you holistically.
While many find ways to navigate grief on their own, there are times when it lingers or feels overwhelming—affecting how you function day to day.
What would it feel like to have a safe, compassionate space where your grief—no matter its form—is truly seen and supported?
Benefits of Grief Counselling Calgary
When you work with me, you’ll experience support that goes beyond traditional grief counselling. Here’s what becomes possible:
Find your ground again
Grief doesn’t just touch your heart—it can shake your nervous system, sometimes pushing you beyond what feels manageable. You might notice anxiety, numbness, or waves of intense emotions that come out of nowhere. Together, we’ll help you gently widen your “window of tolerance”—that safe space where you can stay grounded and present even when feelings run high. You’ll learn to recognize when your nervous system is activated and develop gentle ways to return to stability.
Process painful memories
Through EMDR integrated into grief counselling, you can process the most painful memories connected to your loss—the moment you got the news, the last conversation, the funeral, the empty spaces where your loved one used to be. EMDR helps you transcend these traumatic memories so they lose their sharp edges. You’ll still remember, but the memories won’t overwhelm you the way they once did.
Reconnect with yourself
Grief can disconnect you from your sense of self, leaving you wondering who you are without the person or thing you’ve lost. My approach helps you reconnect with your inner voice and strengths—rebuilding self-trust, confidence, and inner stability. You’ll rediscover parts of yourself that grief may have buried, and find ways to honor both your loss and your continued life.
Build authentic connections
Loss can strain relationships or leave you feeling isolated in your grief. You’ll develop the ability to communicate your needs, set boundaries around your grieving process, and rebuild healthy connections with others who may not fully understand what you’re going through. You’ll also learn to navigate the complicated dynamics that often arise around loss—family tensions, unhelpful advice, or the loneliness of grieving something others don’t acknowledge.
Create meaning and move forward
Healing from grief doesn’t mean forgetting or “getting over” your loss. It means integrating the loss into your life story in a way that allows you to move forward while still honoring what and who you’ve lost. You’ll explore what this loss means, how it’s changed you, and how to create a life that holds both the pain of loss and the possibility of joy, purpose, and connection.
If this resonates, I would like to offer a free consultation to explore how I can support your healing journey.
Meet Natalie
I’m Natalie Jovanic, a trauma-informed counsellor with over 14 years of experience supporting people through grief, trauma, and loss. I also bring lived experience of navigating significant grief, which informs my deep understanding of how loss reshapes your world.
My approach integrates EMDR therapy, IFS-informed parts work, and polyvagal theory to address both the emotional and physiological impacts of grief. I’m committed to anti-oppressive practice, honoring the cultural, systemic, and personal contexts that shape your experience of loss. Sessions are collaborative, evidence-based, and always rooted in safety, choice, and respect for your unique grieving process.
Curious to learn more about my approach to trauma-informed grief counselling?
My approach to grief counselling is grounded in the understanding that grief and trauma are deeply interconnected, and that healing requires more than just talking about your feelings. With specialized training in EMDR, parts work, and nervous system regulation, I offer care that addresses how grief lives in your body, mind, and relationships.
What is trauma-informed grief counselling?
My work is rooted in polyvagal theory, which helps explain how your nervous system reacts to feelings of safety and threat. Have you ever noticed moments when anxiety arose because feeling the pain of grief felt too overwhelming? Or times when you felt completely numb and disconnected? These are natural nervous system responses to loss.
Understanding these reactions helps you make sense of sudden panic, withdrawal, or disconnection while learning new ways to soothe yourself. I help you work with your nervous system rather than fighting against it.
Trauma-informed care means our work together is built on safety, trust, transparency, and collaboration. You maintain choice and control throughout, and I honor your culture, history, and identity as integral to your healing process.
EMDR for grief: Transcending painful memories
One of the most powerful tools I use in grief counselling is EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). While traditionally known for trauma therapy, EMDR is remarkably effective for processing the traumatic aspects of loss—those moments and memories that feel frozen in time and continue to cause acute pain.
EMDR helps you to:
- Process traumatic memories connected to your loss (painful memoires of illnesses prior to the death, social context that increased the pain of the death, the moment of death, saying goodbye)
- Reduce the emotional intensity of painful memories without losing the connection to your loved one
- Work through complicated grief that feels stuck
- Address earlier losses or traumas that may be complicating your current grief
- Release the “stuck” quality of grief so it can flow more naturally
The beauty of EMDR is that you don’t have to verbalize every painful detail. Your brain does much of the processing naturally, and you maintain control over the pace and depth of the work.
Parts work for complex grief
I also integrate IFS-informed parts work to help you understand and heal the different aspects of yourself that respond to loss. You might notice a part that wants to stay strong for others, a part that’s angry at the loss, a part that feels guilty for moving forward, and a part that just wants to collapse in pain. Working with these parts helps you find internal harmony and move through grief with more integration.
It’s your time to heal: Let’s begin
If this approach to grief counselling resonates with you, I’d be honoured to get to know you. I offer a free consultation so you can explore your options in a safe, supportive space. You can book through my secure online booking system or message me at nat@brighthorizontherapies.com—whatever works better for you.