Grief changes us. Whether you've experienced the death of someone you love, the end of a relationship, a life-changing diagnosis, the loss of a beloved pet, or another significant life transition, grief can feel overwhelming, confusing, and deeply isolating.

​

EMDR-GRIEF© was developed by social worker and therapist Krista Helman to help people move through grief without leaving behind the love, memories, or meaning that matter most. Based off EMDR therapy, attachment theory, neuroscience, and contemporary grief research, EMDR-GRIEF recognizes that healing is about helping your nervous system process the pain of loss so you can carry your grief differently—with greater peace, resilience, and connection.

 

Unlike approaches that focus solely on symptom reduction, EMDR-GRIEF honours the natural grieving process. It supports your mind and body in processing what feels overwhelming while preserving the continuing bond you have with the person, pet, role, or life you have lost.

​

Who Can Benefit?

EMDR-GRIEF may be helpful if you are grieving:

• The death of a loved one

• Pet loss

• Miscarriage or perinatal loss

• Separation, divorce, or family estrangement

• Injury, chronic illness, or disability

• Retirement, job loss, or identity changes

• Caregiver burnout

• Moving, immigration, or displacement

• Ambiguous loss, such as a missing person

• Losses that others may not fully recognize or understand

• Anticipatory grief when someone is nearing the end of life

• Community or collective loss following tragedy or disaster

 

Whether your loss happened weeks ago or decades ago, EMDR-GRIEF meets you where you are. If your grief is very recent, therapy may initially focus on stabilization, emotional support, and helping your nervous system regain a sense of safety before deeper processing begins. If your trauma has already been resolved and the ripple effects are not overwhelming you, treatment may focus more on reconnecting with love, meaning, hope, and the ongoing relationship you continue to hold with the one you've lost.

​

What to Expect

Every grief journey is different, and your treatment will be tailored to your needs. Using EMDR therapy techniques such as eye movements or tapping, your therapist helps your brain and nervous system process experiences that remain emotionally overwhelming. As healing unfolds, many people notice:

​

• less emotional intensity

• fewer intrusive memories

• reduced guilt or regret

• greater emotional flexibility

• renewed connection with positive memories

• increased capacity to engage in life again

 

Healing doesn't erase grief. It changes your relationship with it.

​

After-Death Communication (ADC)

Many people who are grieving report sensing the presence of someone who has died. These experiences—known as After-Death Communications (ADC)—have been described throughout history and studied across many cultures.

 

An ADC may occur as:

​

• a vivid dream

• a strong sense of presence

• hearing, sensing, or feeling a loved one nearby

• a meaningful symbolic experience

• an unexpected feeling of comfort, love, or reassurance

 

Some people experience an ADC during EMDR processing, while many never do. EMDR-GRIEF does not expect ADC as  an outcome of therapy. When they occur, however, many people describe them as deeply comforting and meaningful.

 

Research suggests that exploring these experiences in a respectful, non-judgmental way can help individuals integrate their grief and make meaning from their loss. The role of the clinician is to provide a safe therapeutic space where clients can explore these experiences without fear of dismissal or stigma, allowing them to understand what the experience means to them personally. Whatever your beliefs, your experience will be met with curiosity, compassion, and respect.

​

​