Individual Therapy
Many of these life transitions create a sense of loss with an associated grief process. Losses tend to emotionally bring up past losses, and, as such, loss can be psychologically very complex. Acceptance, letting go and moving on can be extraordinarily painful and difficult. As previously mentioned, Dr. Leight’s foundational psychotherapy training was with practice models that help patients struggling with loss. Dr. Leight offers a loving, safe, supportive space to move through a process that can have emotionally unparalleled sorrow, a deep sense of loneliness and profound feelings of emptiness.
Dying and Death of a Loved One
Dying and Death of a Loved One, in addition to the life transition challenges earlier addressed, are the most challenging of life’s grieving processes. Aside from the huge void in our lives and the loss of love and companionship, there is the realization that life will never be the same. The grieving process moves us from this most devastating time to finding a new way of being in life. Doing grief therapy at a time of loss due to death is not a luxury. It is vital to get experienced help to be sure you are able to move forward and experience the richness of life once again.
Ending of a Significant Relationship
Ending of a Significant Relationship or Marriage can be just as, if not more, traumatic than a death. When the ending is emotionally difficult or unresolved, feelings of anger, guilt, resentment, vindication and fear can be overwhelming. Aside from having to put life back together, dealing with loss of love and resultant emptiness and loneliness can be devastating. Dr. Leight’s extensive experience with relationship counseling and grief counseling are a combination that can help you find your way through the grief to a place where you can love again.
Permanent Change of a Life Situation
Permanent Change of a Life Situation may include some of the life transitions discussed previously. All changes, for the good or not-so-good entail loss. If you move to a new city, there is a loss of life as you knew it in the old city. If you change careers, there is a loss of the both the good and the bad of the previous career. If you retire, there is the loss of as much human interface or even the street you used to work on. These are not like a loss due to death or divorce, but they can significantly leave you feeling depressed at worse or uncomfortable at best. Dr. Leight can help you move the grieving process of this loss so you are better able to focus on making the best of the new.
Loss of a Significant Possession
Loss of a Significant Possession may be less about the possession and more about the meaning of that possession. Dr. Leight can help you dig beneath the surface of the loss to help you discover the real reasons for your pain, help you with acceptance and letting go, and help you gain perspective so the grieving gives way to movement in life once again.
Loss of a Body Part or Bodily Function
Loss of a Body Part or Bodily Function also creates a life transition that entails grieving the loss. Whether due to disease, accident, aging or other trauma, Dr. Leight’s medical and mental health expertise can help you work through the psychological and emotional process of grief so you can learn to live fully again with the physical change. Dr. Leight, as a clinical sexologist and professor at the American Academy of Clinical Sexology where he taught Assessment and Management of Male Sexual Disorders, is highly qualified to be of help with the grief around loss of sexual function due to prostate surgery and/or other medical conditions. (See Sex Therapy)