Grief Counseling in Seattle
Are You Having A Hard Time Adapting To Life After Loss?
Loss takes many shapes. Whether we’re mourning a person, a pet, an ability, or the idea of what could have been, feelings of grief are normal as circumstances shift.
If you’re here, it means that loss or anticipatory grief has likely impacted your life in some way. Maybe you’re experiencing shock or denial, wondering How could this have happened to me?
Feelings of intense anger or sadness may have developed, affecting your routines, habits, and ability to stay focused. It’s also possible you are living with physical symptoms of loss, such as tearfulness and aches or pains that don’t seem to have an underlying medical cause.
Perhaps you’re grieving an identity or way of being as you navigate life after loss. Maybe a death, diagnosis, or other sudden change has forced you into a new role or environment. Your relationships have probably shouldered the stress of the change, whether you feel a sense of disconnection, isolation, or resentment as you struggle to adapt. Processing loss can be so overwhelming, and you might feel like you don’t have enough energy or the right kind of support to get through the day.
Counseling is helpful when feelings of stress, grief, and anxiety become acute. As you develop tools for coping with change and loss, you can overcome some of the painful parts of grief—and even find some joy along the way.
Grief Is A Unique Experience For Each Individual
There isn’t much space for grief in our culture. Many of us do not have a vocabulary for talking about experiences of death and loss, leading to misunderstandings and differing expectations. Often, people develop feelings of shame because they think others are handling the loss “better” or are able to move on more quickly than they have.
It’s also common for people to experience grief even if a death hasn’t occurred. Any form of loss—including the natural kinds of loss that come with age, like slowing down or developing new medical issues—can trigger big questions and uncomfortable feelings.
Having a supportive space to figure out how to cope with life’s challenges can always be helpful, no matter how “big” or recent a loss might be. As a therapist specializing in the anxiety and grief that come with common life transitions, I want to help you find peace.
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Counseling Helps You Grow Beyond The Grief
My counseling practice is collaborative and individualized to each client’s goals for therapy. As a seasoned grief counselor who has worked in the field of chronic illness and geriatric mental health for years, my approach to therapy is a good fit for clients who:
Are experiencing acute grief following the death of a loved one
Have received a terminal or chronic medical diagnosis that has changed their circumstances
Feel loss as a result of aging (loss of abilities, loss of purpose, cognitive decline, etc.)
Are a caretaker or loved one of someone who’s sick or dying
Have experienced other forms of loss (loss of a dream, end of a relationship, etc.)
In counseling, you will first and foremost be treated as the expert on your life and experience of grief. I know how important it is to honor what was lost and to make room for some of the complicated feelings that come with that loss. Together, we will unpack your story, identify what and how you are grieving, and make room for hope—always at a pace that feels safe and manageable.
What To Expect
Since the grief counseling process is individualized, I will incorporate various skills and tools based on what’s appropriate.
If you are looking for immediate skills for coping with stress and anxiety, I will teach you grounding exercises and behavioral therapy techniques to help regulate your emotions. Or you may be looking to do the deeper work of finding meaning, repairing relationships, and seeking out answers to big, existential questions about life and the legacy you want to leave behind.
Whatever it is you bring to the counseling space, we will explore it together in a way that honors your needs and wishes.
Therapy for grief and loss is all about defining what hope looks like for you. As you learn to cope with the pain of grief and transition through counseling, you can develop a new sense of resilience to carry you through life’s challenges. I have seen what is possible in therapy, and I know that with the right support and a willingness to explore their grief, people have an amazing capacity for hope and healing even during life’s darkest seasons.
Frequently Asked Questions About Grief Counseling
I don’t know how I am supposed to grieve—what I’m feeling isn’t normal.
There is no right or wrong way to grieve. Whether you feel numb, angry, full of emotion, or something else entirely, part of the counseling process is connecting your response with your experience of grief.
There are so many factors impacting how we grieve, including the circumstances of the loss, what existing coping skills we have in place, and the relationship dynamics with the person we lost. Grief is a natural part of loss, and processing those emotions is an important part of learning how to cope with them. Through therapy, we learn how to incorporate grief and loss into our lives.
Why haven’t I moved on by now?
One of the great disservices our society has done to those in mourning is create an impossible timeline for when you are “supposed” to feel better after a loss. Many people have developed the false belief that a week or a month or a year is exactly the amount of time it will take to overcome a loss. This is made worse by the fact that many workplaces provide only a matter of days for bereavement.
Healing isn’t linear, which means it doesn’t happen on a specific timeline. Part of the work we will do in therapy is honor what you are feeling without rushing the process, while also figuring out what hope looks like and how to make room for it. You are exactly where you need to be in your grief.
Talking about my grief with a therapist will just make me feel worse.
Therapy is a tool for when your patterns or coping skills are no longer working, or when you just need some assistance to handle the stress of life. A lot of people attempt to just push through the pain, only to develop sleep issues, mood changes, and a general sense of unease.
Talking about your feelings with a licensed, experienced counselor will not make your grief worse, and in fact, the simple act of having a space to talk openly and honestly can provide immediate relief. It’s important to make sure the connection with your therapist feels right, which is why I offer a free, 15-minute consultation to help you determine if my approach will work for you.
Healing Doesn’t Mean Forgetting
Resilient Journeys Therapy specializes in counseling for those experiencing sadness, stress, and grief following a loss. I will walk alongside you on the journey to healing, making room for new joys and possibilities.