Grief
Those who grieve have loved.
A woman comes to therapy for support following the death of her best friend.
A college student comes to therapy to process the death of her dad.
A young professional comes to therapy to talk about their brother’s recent overdose.
Death of a loved one or pet, a job loss, a move, or a break-up, grief is the experience of no longer being connected to what is (or was) important. Grief brings several emotions to feel through, time for change, and important choices to consider.
Feeling despair about how to continue when your life has lost meaning – this is when you’ve accepted that you need some of your tender loving care, so you can adjust to the reality of living without your loved one or long-lived vision for yourself.
I understand you’re at a point now, deep in your grief and desiring support, so you don’t have to do this emotional labor alone. I am here to be a witness to your story with compassion and tender care for your grief.
I understand the challenges that accompany loss.
Lost interest in hobbies and relationships, anxious anticipation of upcoming events, and looming decisions in your career may be weighing on you now. Overwhelmed and tired – losing vision and motivation for everyday life, relationships, your future…
…it’s hard to show up to work and pretend like you’re okay,
…it’s hard to let yourself feel your grief at home,
…and it’s nearly unbearable to sit with the rush of memories flooding in every day.
All the change that accompanies grief can feel difficult and lonely to navigate, especially when you need to express raw feelings. The heightened sensitivity in your environment – showing up as tearfulness, difficulty eating and falling asleep, and noticing small changes more than you usually do.
You might perceive that the world expects you to move on with your life, yet here you are… still grappling with your grief.
Compassion for yourself is the key to connecting to your loss.
Connecting with loss is essential for clients – it allows them to express their feelings buried within, share their unique stories, and create new meaning for life. You may feel disconnected from your loss because of regret or anger.
Have compassion for yourself…
First, I invite you to connect with the sense of longing… these feelings deep within you. Feel them in your bones… allow your feelings to have a name in your body. Does your chest hurt as you reflect on your loss? What can you do to allow sadness to be fully expressed now?
I can help you define your healing boundaries – the support you need, where space is required while you heal. Together, we will discuss a plan for your healing and get clear on your goals. What would give you a sense of accomplishment for meeting your needs in this tender time?
My role is to help clients heal their relationships with themselves. While they process their stories, I ask clarifying questions, offer mindfulness practices and guidance toward goals.
Therapy can be your guide, from grief to peace.
Starting where you are…
…in your unhappiness, heartbreak, and gloomy feelings that you can’t seem to shake. While the hustle and hum of your environment continue, you’re on pause.
Your healing is not a linear process with a pre-set plan of steps to follow. It’s your process, unique and raw. I will meet you on your journey wherever you need my support.
Discovering yourself…
Again and again, uncovering your true nature after loss and transition. You are not the same person you were before your loss. It’s valid to be feeling vulnerable about how you’re changing now.
I’m here to help you express whatever you’ve been holding in, so you can navigate your life meaningfully, authentic to who you are, as you take these next steps.
Unraveling old stories together, I will help you find all that you wish to bring with you into your next chapter. I will give you the tools to listen to your wants and needs and empower your ongoing discovery process as you unearth all that is important to you. Through compassion, curiosity, and presence, we will find a way through.
Creating meaning…
…is an important part of working through your grief. What brings you here, and where do you want to be? Together, we can build a foundation for your healing that reflects your beliefs, so you can move forward with clarity and peace.
Some create rituals, such as regularly returning to a place they frequented with their loved one, beginning a “time of remembrance” tradition, or lighting a candle in memory. Together, we can identify meaningful rituals unique to your story to honor your loved one and to support your healing.
Others write. For example, narrative therapy helps my clients openly write about their loss with a sense of structure and safety while gently encouraging all thoughts and feelings to emerge. Therapy allows clients to be witnessed in their narrative surrounding grief, and a writing practice between sessions supports deeper processing and healing.
Others rest. Sometimes we just need to allow ourselves to be still with our grief to find a way through the weight of our loss. As you’re ready to explore the nature of your fatigue, I can help you find the rest you need and recover the meaning you’ve lost along the way.
Whether in a state of doing or being, you can allow your grief to speak through you.
Listening to you…
I listen to what you share, both verbally and nonverbally. Unpacking your grief, honoring your loss – helping you identify valuable opportunities for healing as you express whatever is within you. You will be heard and seen, encouraged to connect with a tender part of you intimately.
I believe in honoring your grief, and I have the presence and skills to support your process.
Are you ready to honor what’s important to you?
Finding relief…
It begins by acknowledging that losing something or someone you love can be hard… really hard. It can be unsettling. It can feel like a dark, cold cave… with nowhere to go.
Your mind and body carry so much wisdom and strength. Your process needs space to unfold naturally, so your heart may find the closure it is seeking.
Allow me to walk with you on your unique grief journey while we find the way out of the darkness.
Providing you tools…
…Building self-compassion through supportive presence and care,
…Building awareness of your response to loss,
…Building coping skills that complement your strengths and resiliency.
With these tools practiced in therapy, you will not only gain the confidence to recover from your current loss – you will also be more prepared to recover from future losses, too.
This is a tender, sacred time. I’m here to offer a way through.
Whether your loss happened yesterday or years ago, your grief matters. It is an honor to be with you and your grief now.
Together, we will hold your grief with tenderness and help you nourish your mind, body, and spirit… so you can return to your life with renewed strength and purpose.
Moving through grief clears the way for beautiful new beginnings.
Let’s start yours today. Give me a call for a free consultation: (720) 593-2280.