Individual Counseling for Grief: Navigating Loss and Healing

Losing a loved one is one of the most profound and painful experiences we face in life. It can also be very isolating. When you first lose someone, there can be a lot of love and support, but this can often subside after the memorial service and other grief rituals come and go. The process of grief, which is not something we get over, but learn to live with and integrate, continues on long after the public and communal loss experiences. Grief encompasses a wide range of emotions, including sadness, anger, guilt, confusion, and even numbness. Everyone’s journey through grief is unique, and there is no "right" way to grieve. Futhermore, for some, the pain may linger for a very long time and interfere with daily life in profound ways. This is known as Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD). Also known as complicated grief, PGD is a condition where grief remains persistent, debilitating, and intense for a prolonged period of time (usually longer than a year). 

Symptoms of Prolonged Grief Disorder may include:

  • Intense longing or yearning for your loved one

  • Difficulty accepting the reality of the loss

  • Feelings of emotional numbness or detachment

  • Intrusive thoughts and memories (flashbacks) of your loved one

  • Inability to move forward or re-engage in life

  • Sleep disturbances or changes in appetite

  • Ongoing feelings of guilt, anger, or confusion

  • Isolation from others and withdrawal from social or work life

  • A sense that life has lost its meaning or purpose

How Individual Counseling Can Help

My goal is to help you heal from the pain of loss by providing you with the tools to understand and process your emotions, develop healthier coping mechanisms, and find meaning in your grief journey and in life. Whether you're experiencing Prolonged Grief Disorder, or a more typical grief response, therapy can offer support and comfort during such a difficult time.

A large part of therapy for grief includes just feeling heard and feeling safe to share. It can feel like you are taxing those in your personal life continuing to talk about the loss, but the pain is still very real and all-consuming. I also work with you to come up with evidence-based, strategic and practical ways to process your grief. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we will work on how to integrate your grief into your life in a new way. We do not get over losing someone we love so much, we learn how to live with the love and the pain side by side as we move forward.

Healing from loss can be a long journey, but you don’t have to walk it alone. If you're struggling with grief, prolonged or not, I am here to help.