Surviving grief

Grief Therapy in San Francisco Bay Area & throughout California

Are you grieving? I’ve been there

Grief

Sometimes well meaning people exert their expectation that we should be over our grief and “move on.”

Not only have I counseled those who have lost loved ones, I have survived my own grief. My personal experiences with grief include significant losses: death of my partner and the death of my father. Through lived experiences, I have come to understand, all shall encounter death and loss. I found that in my grieving I noticed several changes: Some people just disappeared. Other relationships deepened. Most of all, I was stunned and very moved, by people’s acts of kindness.

We don’t “move on” as in forgetting our loved one. Instead we are changed and we keep living. It is possible to open to life again too.

Grief is part of being alive, just as joy, anxiety, satisfaction, vulnerability, and peace are part of being alive.

Grief opens doors to deeper self knowledge.

Sound like you?

The loss of your loved one has left you feeling raw and afraid.

You never anticipated dealing with this kind of heart break. You fear being alone forever.

You search for your loved one everywhere. You feel regret and guilt.

You avoid your feelings. You feel numb. You keep busy or do nothing.

Here’s what we’ll do together

Therapy for grief and loss is place to express your feelings without judgement

Therapy for grief and loss is about making space for your feelings. It’s also a space to process what is currently happening in your life besides grieving. Grief comes and goes and you are still living.

In a culture of ‘toxic positivity,’ there is pressure to feel good and be happy all the time. However, a real and full life means feeling both happy and sad, means feeling our fears and embodying our courage.

At the end of the day, I want you to know:

Whether going through a breakup, a job change, or the dying and death of a loved one, you can learn to live again

What we’ll work on

Imagine a life where…

  • You don’t apologize for your sadness.

  • You find ways to honor the deceased and the relationship you had in ways that are authentic.

  • You permit yourself to rest.

  • You understand and accept the complexity of the relationship.

  • Your past no longer keeps you stuck.

  • You feel more connected to yourself.

Questions?

FAQs

  • Depending on the type of loss, you may stop missing them and you may not. When facing the death of a significant person, it is likely you will always miss them. As the years pass, you may notice you do not feel that ache as often as you once did. Still the feeling of missing may come and go.

  • Feelings hold important information. Therapy helps you know and express what you are feeling. It is likely you experience your feelings deeply. It’s just how you were made. However, there are certain techniques, which I teach, that can help you experience more moments of calm and acceptance.

  • Therapy is a space for self-discovery, support, unlocking potential, identifying limiting beliefs, and freeing the body. Working with me, people usually find relief within three to six months. Once the hot- button issues are resolved, most clients elect to work with me long-term to continue getting support with growing self-awareness, building interpersonal skills, self-advocacy, and identifying what is meaningful, and where to focus their energy.

Change is possible.