Grief and Loss Counseling

Tending What Has Been Lost, Honoring What Remains

Grief is one of the most universal human experiences, yet many of us feel completely unprepared when it arrives. We live in a culture that often encourages us to move on, stay busy, be positive, or "get back to normal." But grief asks something different of us. It asks us to pause, listen, feel, and ultimately be transformed by what has been lost.

My approach to grief and loss is deeply influenced by the work of Francis Weller and David Kessler, who remind us that grief is not a problem to solve but a human experience to be witnessed, honored, and integrated.

I believe grief is not simply about death. Grief touches every part of life. It arrives whenever we lose someone, something, or some version of ourselves that mattered.

What Is Grief?

Grief is the natural response to loss.

While many people associate grief with the death of a loved one, grief can emerge after divorce, illness, trauma, career changes, infertility, estrangement, spiritual awakening, identity shifts, empty nesting, relocation, aging, and countless other life experiences.

Grief can feel like sadness, anger, anxiety, numbness, confusion, exhaustion, relief, guilt, loneliness, or even gratitude. Often, it is many things at once.

There is no right way to grieve.

As David Kessler teaches, grief is not something we "complete." Instead, we learn to carry our losses while continuing to live meaningful lives. Healing does not mean forgetting. It means learning how to hold both sorrow and joy at the same time.

The Many Gates of Grief

Francis Weller describes grief as having many expressions beyond the death of a loved one. In my work, I recognize and honor the many forms grief can take.

Death and Bereavement

The loss of a parent, child, sibling, spouse, friend, family member, or beloved pet.

Divorce and Relationship Loss

The end of a marriage, partnership, friendship, or significant relationship. Often we grieve not only the person, but the future we imagined.

Life Transitions

Career changes, retirement, relocation, becoming a parent, children leaving home, aging, illness, or other major life shifts.

Loss of Identity

Grieving who you once were, who you thought you would become, or parts of yourself that were sacrificed in order to survive.

Trauma and Unresolved Wounds

The grief of unmet needs, lost childhood experiences, betrayal, abuse, neglect, or living disconnected from your authentic self.

Spiritual and Existential Grief

Questioning beliefs, experiencing spiritual awakening, losing faith traditions, or searching for deeper meaning after life-changing events.

Collective and

Community Grief

The grief we carry in response to social unrest, violence, environmental concerns, cultural loss, or witnessing suffering in our communities.

Ancestral and Intergenerational Grief

The grief inherited through family systems, cultural narratives, immigration experiences, historical trauma, and unspoken family stories.

How I Support Grief and Loss

Grief deserves more than advice.

It deserves witness, compassion, and space.

My role is not to rush your healing, explain away your pain, or help you "get over it." Instead, I walk beside you as you learn to navigate life after loss.

Together we may:

Create space to tell your story
Explore emotions that feel overwhelming, confusing, or stuck
Support nervous system regulation and emotional resilience
Process complicated, disenfranchised, or unresolved grief
Honor the continuing bond with loved ones who have died
Explore meaning-making and post-loss identity
Integrate spiritual questions and experiences when desired
Reconnect with sources of support, purpose, and belonging
Develop sustainable practices for carrying grief over time

My approach is holistic, trauma-informed, and tailored to your unique experience. Depending on your needs, our work may incorporate traditional psychotherapy, mindfulness practices, somatic awareness, breathwork, expressive reflection, psychoeducation, and meaning-centered exploration.

Grief Is Not Meant To Be Carried Alone

One of Francis Weller's most powerful teachings is that grief needs community. While grief is deeply personal, healing often happens when we feel seen, heard, and accompanied.

Whether your loss is recent or decades old, whether it feels obvious or difficult to explain, your grief deserves attention.

There is no timeline.
There is no "right" way.
There is only the invitation to tend what hurts with compassion and care.

A Place to Begin

If you are carrying grief, loss, or profound life transition, I offer a compassionate space to explore your experience at your own pace.

Together, we can honor what has been lost, strengthen what remains, and discover how grief can become not only a source of pain, but also a pathway toward meaning, connection, and deeper living.

You do not have to walk through grief alone.