The story of 4ME was born from a place of significant loss and pain. The place where you, the reader, may be able to relate. Not feeling heard, listened to or supported, and so very alone when life unexpectantly delivers a loss or even accumulative losses that are so great it has affected your life as you know it with such tremendous force that you felt nobody could understand. You felt alone. That was unfair, and why me? This could be, for example, a medical diagnosis, an illness, or the loss of a loved one, whether a person or a pet. The loss of a job or body part. The mother who cannot become pregnant or has lost her baby. The loss of a relationship. The man navigating a change of life or the woman going through menopause. Knowing you are dying of a chronic disease. The list is endless. You see grief and loss come in many ways and forms. Particularly, the loss of self as you know it. Your identity. The mother, friend, wife, husband, father, daughter or son; not to mention sister or brother, etc. A well body. The life that was. Is grieved after the loss. But as stages of life and loss come and go, know that even throughout these stages, life is not the same, but you can get through them.

The way forward is to develop better ways of coping and pathways to create positive change, growth and renewal. This place here is for YOU, that is why the name “4ME” counselling was birthed, because you matter to ME.

At 4ME, we know that our principal counsellor knows first-hand and gets it. After sitting across from a health professional a decade ago after a medical diagnosis incapacitated her with accumulative losses. Life quickly changed from wellness to illness. Life was never the same again, affecting every area. She believes a person should never say the words, “I understand”, if they haven't lived it. The loss of function. The inability to work in a job she trained for and loved. Professionals sat in front of her in the job they loved and trained for. They would say they “understand” or “It’s ok” when it wasn't. How could they understand they still work in a job they loved? They could not understand the magnitude of loss and grief that was encountered. The loss of self. The loss of identity. The loss of dreams and hopes. The loss of living in a body that didn't function properly. Being called names like “hypochondriac” or “attention seeker”. Diagnosis after diagnosis. Blow after blow. It was a struggle to put one foot in front of the other. But she did. She became a counsellor. She has a heart for the people and gets it and understands. She’ll walk beside you and make sure you never feel the way she did. She is there for you and 4ME. She turned her struggle into strength. She will help you navigate through difficult times so you never feel unheard, not listened to, not supported and never alone. That is the story of 4ME!

And SHE is Melissa.

Principal Counsellor.