When you feel as though nothing will ever be ‘okay’ again.
Grief + Loss Therapy in Seattle and throughout Washington State
Being in the thick of grief can feel as though you are lost at sea
Grief can often feel uncontainable, much like a turbulent sea or a dark, writhing beast. Yet we live in a culture that does not like to acknowledge or talk about grief. There is pressure to keep grief small, private, and palatable. To find the silver linings. It is supposed to follow an ambiguous yet decidedly short “timeline.” At that point, you “move on.”
That is simply not how grief works. Grief refuses to be contained, and if suppressed, it finds other ways to express itself.
You may be grieving the death of someone important to you, an ending (of a relationship, a career, a life chapter), the loss of good health, the loss of your youth, your home, or a dream or goal you had imagined. You may be grieving world events or our ever-changing climate. You be grieving old wounds from childhood, or processing new hurt.
Grief can take many forms, and includes far more than death-related loss.
There is no “right” way to feel in grief, though we often feel the pressure of how we “should” feel or demonstrate our grief. No two people will move through grief in the exact same way. Therapy can help you feel less alone in your experience.
If you find yourself at the bottom of the dark pit of grief, I am not going to pull you out. Instead, I will climb in with you.
You don’t have to do this alone.
Grief work with me
Grief work is hard work. It can be challenging and downright scary to allow ourselves to be fully open, honest, and vulnerable with the reality of our emotions when we have become so practiced at containment.
You are taking a brave step to turn toward your grief, and acknowledge you could use some extra support. Grief is not something you are meant to navigate alone.
In our work together, I will meet you where you are at in your grief and join you, without expectation or agenda. I will bear witness, hold compassionate space, and offer validation and support.
I will share resources and tools and information along the way, but will acknowledge now that none can take the grief away. In our work we will support you to grow around your grief, and slowly and patiently increase your capacity to carry it in the world.
“The only cure for grief is to grieve.”
Dr. Earl Grollman
Frequently Asked Questions
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I can understand and appreciate how overwhelming acute grief feels. I’ve been there, too. The hard answer is this: there’s never really a time when you are “done” with grief.
But also: it won’t always feel exactly like this. Grief goes through many stages, and it is a common misconception that it’s a “one way road” or linear step-by-step process. Grief moves in and out of all stages repeatedly over time. And it won’t always feel quite so heavy.
You are deserving of support and care as you move through it all.
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There are many forms that grief can take beyond the death of someone important to you. This is a non-exhaustive list of a few that I often work with folks to process.
Anticipatory grief - grieving before the actual loss, such as when you learn someone has a terminal illness or you are anticipating an ending of an experience or life chapter.
Ambiguous grief - grief with a lack of closure around the loss, or grieving someone who is important to you and still alive but feels out of reach such as someone who was deployed or someone with a disease like dementia or Alzheimer’s.
Complicated grief - also called Prolonged Grief, complicated grief is characterized by intense and persistent grief symptoms that are long-lasting and disabling in nature. For most, grief-related symptoms following the death of someone important decrease over time. The symptoms of complicated / prolonged grief cause significant distress and greatly disrupt functioning in many areas of life.
Collective grief - grieving as a community or group the shared experiences we have lost, such as the far-reaching losses of climate change and natural disasters, school shootings, pandemics, and systemic oppression.
Disenfranchised grief - grieving a loss that is not openly acknowledged or socially validated. This may involve the death of someone by suicide or drug overdose, the loss of a pregnancy or experiencing infertility, or the death of a beloved pet.
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I am a licensed mental health counselor in Washington State, and received my Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Antioch University in 2024. During my time at Antioch I completed advanced coursework in Grief Counseling.
I complete regular continuing education trainings focused on grief work. I have also read several books supporting my practice:
It’s OK That You’re Not OK by Megan Devine
Bearing the Unbearable by Dr. Joanne Cacciatore
On Death and Dying by Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
Principles and Practice of Grief Counseling by Harris and Winokuer
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You can expect a steady, calm, and grounded presence in session with me. I am familiar with the wild undulations of grief, both personally and professionally. Nothing you bring to session will be too much, and I will welcome and honor every part of your experience and story.
I am not the kind of therapist who sees myself as the expert in the room. I trust your inner wisdom and intuition, and see myself more as a compassionate companion and guide to join you in your story. Our work together will not follow a prescriptive structure, but will be responsive to your unique self and needs.
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Reach out here and schedule a 15-minute free phone consultation so we can see if it feels like a good fit. Having someone you feel comfortable with goes a LONG way in setting you up for success in therapy.