Diane Ussery

Grief: the loss of what was, what you hoped for, and what might have been. Healing doesn’t ask you to forget. It means learning to carry what happened without being buried by it. Over time, the heaviness eases. You reconnect with the people and the parts of life that grief pulled you away from. The sadness visits without swallowing the whole day. For many, this work unfolds over about 9 to 12 weeks. If your grief runs deeper, or you’ve carried it a long while, we’ll take the time it truly needs.

Together, we’ll start with what’s happening right now and what you most want to be different. I’ll help you catch the anxious, fear‑based thoughts that come from religious trauma and gently question whether they’re telling you the truth. We’ll practice skills to steady overwhelming emotions before they take over, and I’ll teach tools small enough to use in any ordinary moment. You’ll leave each session with something you can use that same night. Your well‑being matters.

You’ll finally say out loud what’s been pulling you under, and it becomes less intimidating. We’ll look for the small moments where you already cope well and expand those strengths. I’ll teach skills you can use right when distress hits. You’ll learn to name your emotions instead of shutting down or snapping from overload. Over time, the feelings that once felt impossible become something you can move through with steadiness. Reaching out is the first step. Let’s talk it through.

The feeling hits before the words. DBT helps us slow the surge, see the patterns shaped by religious trauma, and build skills that keep you steady. We’ll map how those reactions formed and practice tools that interrupt them. Soon, you’ll learn to respond with clarity instead of overwhelmed. Therapy becomes a steady place where your needs are recognized, and your story is met without judgment.

Where Your Shame Really Comes From-If love and approval felt conditional in your family or your church, this shame makes sense. You learned to earn what was meant to be given freely. Here is what I’ve come to know: those punishing thoughts aren’t actually from God. They are old distortions, wearing the clothing of faith. The faith itself is one thing. The shame that learned to imitate it is another. And you’re allowed to tell the two apart. Reach out for a free consultation.

Carry Your Loss Without Being Buried by It-Healing doesn’t ask you to forget. It means learning to carry what happened without being buried by it. Over time, the heaviness eases. You reconnect with the people and the parts of life that grief pulled you away from. The sadness visits without swallowing the whole day. For many, this work unfolds over about 9 to 12 weeks. If your grief runs deeper, or you’ve carried it a long while, we’ll take the time it truly needs. You’re not carrying this alone.