What is Pregnancy Loss Counselling?

Pregnancy loss counseling provides a safe and compassionate space for you to process your grief, cope with the emotional and physical impact of the loss, and find a path toward healing. Whether you're struggling with feelings of sadness, guilt, anger, or numbness, therapy can help you navigate these complex emotions while honouring your unique experience of loss.

At Toronto Therapy Practice, we understand that pregnancy loss affects everyone differently, and there is no "right" way to grieve. Our goal is to meet you wherever you are in your healing process, providing the emotional support and practical tools you need to move forward. Through pregnancy loss counseling, you can:

Pregnancy Loss Counselling in Toronto

Losing a pregnancy is a deeply personal and heartbreaking experience that can leave you feeling overwhelmed with grief, confusion, and isolation. Whether you've experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, or another form of loss, the emotional toll can be profound, affecting not only your mental well-being but also your relationships and sense of self. At Toronto Therapy Practice, we offer specialized pregnancy loss counseling to support you through this painful time with care, understanding, and expert guidance.

1 in 4 pregnancies end in loss, making miscarriage more common than many people realize. However, despite its prevalence, pregnancy loss is often surrounded by silence and stigma, leaving many individuals and couples feeling isolated in their grief. By opening up about your experience and seeking support through counseling, you can begin to process the emotions and find a path toward healing—while also breaking down the barriers of silence for others going through similar experiences.

Who Can Benefit from Pregnancy Loss Counseling?

Anyone who has experienced a loss during pregnancy can benefit from counseling, whether it’s a recent event or something that occurred years ago. Pregnancy loss counseling is available for:

  • Individuals grieving a miscarriage or stillbirth

  • Couples seeking to reconnect and grieve together

  • Those feeling anxious about future pregnancies

  • Individuals dealing with secondary infertility after a loss

  • Anyone struggling with the emotional aftermath of ending a pregnancy

    At Toronto Therapy Practice, our therapists are experienced in supporting individuals and couples through the unique grief of pregnancy loss. We offer a non-judgmental, empathetic space where you can feel safe to share your emotions, find comfort, and begin to heal. Our specialized knowledge in perinatal mental health ensures that we can guide you through the psychological, emotional, and relational complexities of pregnancy loss with the care and expertise you deserve.

Effective Therapy Approaches for Pregnancy Loss

Grief Counseling - Grief counselling provides a safe space to process the emotions associated with loss, helping individuals move through the stages of grief—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance—at their own pace. This approach encourages expression and understanding of grief, validating the unique pain of pregnancy loss.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) - CBT helps individuals reframe negative thought patterns, like guilt or self-blame, that often arise after pregnancy loss. By identifying and challenging these thoughts, clients can develop healthier ways of coping and reduce anxiety or depression associated with their grief.

Mindfulness-Based Therapy - Mindfulness techniques, such as meditation and breathing exercises, can help individuals manage the intense emotional waves of grief and anxiety after a pregnancy loss. Mindfulness helps clients stay grounded in the present moment and develop self-compassion.

Narrative Therapy - Narrative therapy encourages individuals to tell their story of loss in a way that makes sense to them, helping them reshape the narrative to find meaning and integrate the experience into their life. It helps individuals take control of their story and their emotional healing process.

Couples Therapy - Pregnancy loss can strain relationships, often leading to miscommunication or emotional distance between partners. Couples therapy provides a space to share feelings openly, rebuild emotional connection, and develop strategies to support each other through grief.

Trauma-Focused Therapy - For those who experience pregnancy loss as a traumatic event, trauma-focused therapy helps process and heal from the emotional and psychological impact of the loss. Techniques like Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) can be effective in addressing trauma-related symptoms.

HOW TORONTO THERAPY PRACTICE CAN HELP

  • PROCESS YOUR GRIEF

    Give yourself the time and space to express your emotions, whether that means talking openly or simply sitting with your feelings in a supportive environment.

  • PROCESS FEELINGS OF GUILT

    Pregnancy loss can leave you questioning yourself or feeling responsible. We’ll work through these difficult emotions together, helping you find compassion for yourself.

  • RECONNECT WITH YOUR PARTNER

    Loss can strain relationships. We’ll help you and your partner navigate this experience together, fostering open communication and understanding.

  • COPE WITH PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL AFTERMATH

    Whether you're managing physical recovery or planning for future pregnancies, counseling offers guidance and support for the decisions and emotions ahead.

  • HONOR YOUR EXPERIENCE

    We offer a space where you can memorialize your loss, helping you honor your experience in a way that feels meaningful to you.

  • FIND MEANING AND HOPE

    While the pain of loss may never fully disappear, therapy can help you find a sense of peace, meaning, and hope for the future.

What You Can Expect From Pregnancy Loss Therapy

  • A sense of emotional release: Through guided conversations and compassionate support, you’ll find relief in expressing your grief, allowing yourself to experience emotions like sadness, anger, or confusion in a safe and non-judgmental space.

  • Greater self-compassion: Therapy helps you let go of guilt, self-blame, or feelings of inadequacy. You’ll begin to develop a sense of compassion for yourself, recognizing that your loss is not a reflection of your worth or ability as a parent.

  • Improved emotional resilience: With personalized coping strategies, you’ll gain tools to manage difficult emotions and overwhelming grief, helping you to gradually feel more in control and better able to handle daily life.

  • Deeper connection with your partner: If your relationship has been strained by the loss, therapy can help you and your partner communicate more openly, rekindle emotional intimacy, and support each other through the healing process.

  • Renewed hope for the future: While the pain of loss may remain, therapy helps you rediscover a sense of hope and meaning, allowing you to feel more emotionally balanced and ready to move forward with your life.

  • A path toward healing: Over time, therapy will help you integrate the experience of your loss, fostering a sense of peace and acceptance that allows you to continue your life with strength and resilience.

BLOG

  • Pregnant woman standing on the beach at dusk

    Navigating Pregnancy After Loss: 6 Practical Tips to Manage Your Anxieties

    Pregnancy after loss can be a challenging and emotional journey. It’s natural to feel a mix of hope and anxiety, and finding ways to manage those feelings is crucial for your well-being and your new pregnancy. 

    Read More

  • How To Heal Emotionally From a Miscarriage

    Many people who can get pregnant will unfortunately experience a miscarriage at some point. In fact, 10 to 20% of pregnancies end in miscarriages. ou may feel shock, sadness, anger, guilt and anxiety about future pregnancies.

    Read More

Meet the Team

  • Rebecca Songhurst MSW RSW

    Registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist

    READ MORE

  • Ruth Diemer MSW RSW

    Registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist

    READ MORE

  • Emilie Baillarino MSW RSW

    Registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist

    READ MORE

  • Alana Jackson MSW RSW

    Registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist

    READ MORE

  • Mila Arsenijevic MSW RSW

    Founder and Clinical Director, Registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist

    READ MORE