Grief or Loss

According to MediumBritta.com "Between 2.5 and 3 million people die in the USA every single year." That means that millions of individuals suffer from grief and loss daily. Grief can come in different waves and stages throughout an individuals life, but as a therapist it is my job to help guide you through this difficult process at your own pace.

Besides learning how to be with my own grief and loss, I find the issues of grief and loss to be especially important because our culture is uncomfortable and seemingly unable to allow us the space and time to grieve our many losses.

I have been trained to provide grief counseling and that includes knowledge of different models of grief and bereavement, treatment approaches, and common issues that emerge when one is grieving. I tend to utilize psychoeducation, mindfulness, supportive therapy, and Brainspotting to assist with treatment.

When we hear the word grief, we think of someone dying. Grief can be someone we love dying. It can also be a loss of a pregnancy, pet, job, youth, limb, or something important to us. You might be feeling lost, confused, sad, depressed, anxious, mad, or all of the above. All these feelings are normal and you don’t have to be alone. You also don't need a timeline to be over your grief. It would be an honor to walk with you as you unravel your emotions during your journey through grief.

I specialize in Pet Bereavement. The loss of a pet is often misunderstood and undervalued by our society. I am here to help you feel heard and process through your pain. I utilize EMDR therapy to help you get back on your feet while remember and embracing your loss.

My path of specialites began with my first hospice experience in my mid-20s and caring for my godmother. Since that time, I have solely focused my learning and experience in gerontology, death and dying and bereavement. As a hospice and palliative care medical social worker, I have worked with anticipatory loss and grief, complicated grief which might include multiple losses, challenges of mental illness, lack of support, and life transitions to name a few.

For clients who are going through grief of loss, it may feel like everything in life is turned upside down. Grief is a difficult thing to process, but it is not impossible. Together, we will learn to manage our emotions and explore the meaning of grief. Only then will we be able to flourish.

I have experience providing others with compassionate and caring support as they process grief and adjust to loss. My practice is informed by a lifespan development approach to how loss impacts us at different stages of life, as well as by mindfulness techniques and diverse spiritual and philosophical understandings of how grief and loss are inevitable aspects of life from which we can learn and grow.

Experiencing grief is personal and people experience grief differently. You may experience crying spells, feel anxious, worried, sad, depressed, have trouble sleeping. Grief is an intensely emotional experience and often shows up in our bodies as fatigue, nausea, aches & pains, loss of appetite, trouble sleeping. If you are experiencing loss and grief, therapy can help.

We meet where you are in your grieving process, and you learn to make meaning out of loss, identify ways to continue to strengthen your bond with your loved one, and reengage in life on your timeline—no one else’s. Through the integration of healing talk therapy, expressive arts, and meaning-making exercises, you are able to share your loss stories, find meaning in your loss(es), and reconstruct a life that helps you maintain continuing bonds while reconstructing your new life.

You’ve suffered an immense loss. It is completely shattering. You feel a deep sense of sorrow and despair. It sometimes comes in waves. The pain has changed you. It may feel difficult to touch, but it needs processing.

I have experience facilitating grief support groups for young adults and understand that grief does not fit a particular mold or timeline. Together, we can process your authentic emotions without judgment to begin the process of healing, at whatever pace feels right for you, whether your loss occurred weeks ago or years ago.

I have worked in hospice for over 15 years. As the Doug's House program coordinator, I had the privilege of managing a home for people dying of HIV/AIDS for 3 years. They and their families allowed me into their hearts at one of the most difficult times of life, and it continues to inspire me in the work that I do. Though life's transitions can be gut-wrenching and traumatic, they also offer us a unique way of growing and healing old wounds.

I completed my entire counseling training working within the cancer/chronic illness field and continue to do so. Grief and loss is an essential part of a process and have supported hundreds of people through the grieving process as they lose a loved one or grief the loss of the life that has changed. Additionally, I have completed specialized training through Hood College's Thanatology program and was an award recipient of the 2022 Donna Mowry Thanatology Award.

People are often affected emotionally, behaviorally, physically, spiritually, and cognitively when they experience a significant loss. Grief counseling helps people manage major life changes, such as death of a loved one, divorce, infant loss, pet loss, job loss and other losses. Because grief impacts our lives on various levels and at varying intensities, it’s healthy and important to cope with grief. At Grief Recovery Center, we can help you navigate your grief.

I work with all kinds of grief and loss: breakups, transitions, deaths - sudden or expected. I fuse Somatic, IFS, Psychodynamic and Narrative techniques so clients feel it all without overwhelm or judgement. They learn how to soothe and express themselves, and experience pleasure, joy and hope again. In particular, I use Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Somatic Experiencing, TIST, Polarity Therapy, Breema, Yoga, Authentic Movement, EMDR, Expressive Arts and client-defined Spirituality.

Many clients find me by searching for support after a miscarriage or stillbirth. I've worked with many people who have experienced this uniquely painful loss. This kind of grief is not only about the loss of your baby, but also the loss of all of your dreams for your child, the loss of the idea of what your family would look like, the loss of a part of you and your identity, and anything else your pregnancy meant to you. It takes as long as it takes to move through grief, so don't rush yourself.

I am a Certified Grief Informed Professional who is passionate about helping people process grief from the loss of a loved one and grief from a living loss, such as divorce. I am also trained in Prolonged Grief Disorder Therapy.

Grief is complex in nature and impacts each one of us uniquely. In therapy, I like to provide my clients with a safe, nonjudgmental space to explore their symptoms and navigate through the stages of grief.