About My Practice
My practice focuses on personal growth and resilience after experiencing a death, loss or life transition. I offer a blend of traditional, holistic and energy psychology approaches to grief because even though we know that death and change is universal and inevitable in our lives, we experience the grief and all its reactions uniquely. It is these reactions that can create difficulties in our mourning and coping with everyday life and relationships.
About Me
Hello! My name is Elizabeth (Liz) Hides and I am a Holistic Grief and Loss Specialist, Registered Social Worker, Certified Thanatologist, Mindfulness and Meditation Teacher, Reiki Master and Teacher and Life Coach. I live and practice in Calgary, Alberta.
I came to this specialized work after having experienced many deaths, losses and difficult life transitions myself. These include sudden death, suicide, diagnosis of a chronic illness and immigration to a new country to name a few). Grief was very exhausting, confusing, and painful for me. I thought I would never feel anything but pain and suffering again. However; the one common element I noticed with each experience was 'Resilience'. Somehow I made it through each moment and and was able to feel joy, happiness and gratitude again. I saw so many people suffer and lose themselves in grief and knew I had found my path and calling. To help others find that resilience and feel that joy that I felt . Yes, it is possible.
I have been helping Albertans and Canadians like you, navigate traumatic grief and loss experiences for over 25 years. I have a passion to help you identify the troublesome parts of grief and help you find your own 'Resilience' and 'Growth' so that you can feel joy and happiness again.
Death, loss and change are universal but how we grieve is UNIQUE. That's why I offer a combination of trauma-sensitive and informed traditional, holistic and energy psychology therapeutic approaches. Tailoring them to your immediate grief needs. Welcome.
I have extensive experience working with individuals, couples, families, and groups including workplaces, seniors and LGBTQ communties who are struggling with grief, loss, or a challenging life transition. My expertise is in grief and loss, particularly with people who have experienced a death by suicide, homicide, sudden death or other traumatic or complicated loss.
Professional Qualifications
- Masters of Social Work (Clinical Specialization)
- Registered Social Worker
- Certified Thanatologist with the Association of Death Education and Counselling (ADEC)
- Certified Mindfulness and Meditation Instructor with the McLean Meditation Institute
- Trained Reiki Master and Teacher of Reiki Usui Shiki Ryoho
- Member of the ACSW Private Practice Committee
- Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist with the Alberta Clinical Hypnosis Society (ACHS) formerly Canadian Federation of Clinical Hypnosis and the Wellness Institute
Therapeutic Offerings
Grief and other life events are such personal experiences that a one-size-fits-all therapy is not always helpful. I approach grief care from a mind, body, spirit, relational and environment connection. So my treatment approaches are talk therapy combined with the any or all of the following
- Narrative Therapy ideas
- Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness and Meditation Practices
- Reiki and Psychotherapeutic Reiki Protocol
- Clinical Hypnosis and Guided Imagery Practices
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Systems Theory
- Existential and Spiritual Exploration
Together we can develop the best fitting approach to best meet your needs.