Psychotherapist talking with a client about her divorce and helping her recover from it.

Grief Counseling

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Understanding Grief

Grief is a natural, human response to losing someone or something deeply meaningful. It is not a problem to be solved but an experience to be lived through—often unpredictable, often overwhelming, and always uniquely personal. Grief can arise after the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, a major life transition, or the loss of identity, health, or dreams for the future.

Grief affects the whole person. It can touch emotions, thoughts, behaviors, and even the body. While it is a universal experience, no two people grieve in the same way.

What Grief Feels Like

People often describe grief as:

A heaviness in the chest or body
Waves of sadness that come unexpectedly
Numbness or disconnection
Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
Anger, guilt, or regret
A sense of unreality or shock
Feeling overwhelmed, lonely, or untethered

Grief can also bring moments of relief, gratitude, or even peace. These shifts are normal. Grief is not linear—it ebbs and flows.

The Seven Stages of Grief

While grief does not follow a strict sequence, the seven-stage model can help people understand the range of emotions they may encounter:

Shock and Disbelief – Feeling stunned, numb, or unable to grasp the reality of the loss.
Denial – Difficulty accepting what has happened, or a sense that it "doesn’t feel real."
Anger – Frustration, resentment, or a sense of injustice about the loss.
Bargaining – Thoughts of "what if" or "if only," wishing circumstances could be different.
Depression – Deep sadness, withdrawal, or a sense of emptiness.
Testing – Beginning to explore ways to move forward and adjust to life after the loss.
Acceptance – Integrating the loss into one’s life and finding a new sense of meaning.

These stages are not steps to complete. People may move back and forth between them, skip some entirely, or experience several at once.

How Grief Manifests Across People and Ages

Grief is shaped by personality, culture, relationships, and life experiences. It can look very different from one person to another.

In Adults:

Changes in sleep or appetite
Difficulty focusing at work or home
Emotional volatility or withdrawal
Seeking solitude or craving connection

In Teens:

Irritability or mood swings
Risk-taking or acting out
Pulling away from family
Difficulty expressing emotions verbally

In Children:

Regression to earlier behaviors
Clinginess or separation anxiety
Play that reenacts aspects of the loss
Confusion about permanence or death

There is no “right” way to grieve. Each expression of grief is valid.

How I Support Clients Through Grief and Loss

My approach to grief counseling is grounded in compassion, presence, and respect for your unique experience. I offer a safe, non-judgmental, and supportive space where you can explore your emotions at your own pace.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

ACT helps clients acknowledge painful emotions without becoming overwhelmed by them. Together, we work on:

Making room for difficult feelings
Identifying personal values
Taking meaningful steps toward healing and connection

Meaning-Making

Loss often disrupts the stories we hold about ourselves and our lives. Through gentle exploration, we work to:

Understand the significance of the loss
Rebuild identity and purpose
Integrate the loss into a new narrative

Grief and Loss Counseling

Using evidence-based grief counseling techniques, I help clients:

Navigate emotional waves with compassion
Develop coping strategies
Honor their relationship with what was lost
Move toward a life that feels grounded and meaningful again

You Don’t Have to Navigate Grief Alone

Grief can feel isolating, but support makes a profound difference. Whether your loss is recent or long past, you deserve a space where your experience is honored and your healing is supported.

If you’re ready to begin this process, I’m here to walk alongside you with warmth, steadiness, and care.

Schedule an Appointment

Grief Counseling

Understanding Grief

​

Grief affects the whole person. It can touch emotions, thoughts, behaviors, and even the body. While it is a universal experience, no two people grieve in the same way.

​

What Grief Feels Like

​

People often describe grief as:

A heaviness in the chest or body

Waves of sadness that come unexpectedly

Numbness or disconnection

Difficulty concentrating or making decisions

Anger, guilt, or regret

A sense of unreality or shock

Feeling overwhelmed, lonely, or untethered

​

Grief can also bring moments of relief, gratitude, or even peace. These shifts are normal. Grief is not linear—it ebbs and flows.

​

The Seven Stages of Grief

​

While grief does not follow a strict sequence, the seven-stage model can help people understand the range of emotions they may encounter:

Shock and Disbelief – Feeling stunned, numb, or unable to grasp the reality of the loss.

Denial – Difficulty accepting what has happened, or a sense that it "doesn’t feel real."

Anger – Frustration, resentment, or a sense of injustice about the loss.

Bargaining – Thoughts of "what if" or "if only," wishing circumstances could be different.

Depression – Deep sadness, withdrawal, or a sense of emptiness.

Testing – Beginning to explore ways to move forward and adjust to life after the loss.

Acceptance – Integrating the loss into one’s life and finding a new sense of meaning.

​

These stages are not steps to complete. People may move back and forth between them, skip some entirely, or experience several at once.

​

How Grief Manifests Across People and Ages

​

Grief is shaped by personality, culture, relationships, and life experiences. It can look very different from one person to another.

​

In Adults:

Changes in sleep or appetite

Difficulty focusing at work or home

Emotional volatility or withdrawal

Seeking solitude or craving connection

In Teens:

Irritability or mood swings

Risk-taking or acting out

Pulling away from family

Difficulty expressing emotions verbally

In Children:

Regression to earlier behaviors

Clinginess or separation anxiety

Play that reenacts aspects of the loss

Confusion about permanence or death

​

There is no “right” way to grieve. Each expression of grief is valid.

​

How I Support Clients Through Grief and Loss

​

My approach to grief counseling is grounded in compassion, presence, and respect for your unique experience. I offer a safe, non-judgmental, and supportive space where you can explore your emotions at your own pace.

​

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

​

ACT helps clients acknowledge painful emotions without becoming overwhelmed by them. Together, we work on:

Making room for difficult feelings

Identifying personal values

Taking meaningful steps toward healing and connection

​

Meaning-Making

​

Loss often disrupts the stories we hold about ourselves and our lives. Through gentle exploration, we work to:

Understand the significance of the loss

Rebuild identity and purpose

Integrate the loss into a new narrative

​

Grief and Loss Counseling

​

Using evidence-based grief counseling techniques, I help clients:

Navigate emotional waves with compassion

Develop coping strategies

Honor their relationship with what was lost

Move toward a life that feels grounded and meaningful again

​

You Don’t Have to Navigate Grief Alone