Grief Counseling in Gilbert, AZ

Yes! Grief can be extremely hard on a relationship. I welcome couples coming together and getting some tools to help you navigate and process your loss.

We will discuss your loss and the impact that it has on your life. My job as your therapist is to facilitate a space where you can feel safe to express all the emotions that come with grief: anger, depression, sadness, fear, guilt, betrayal, confusion and yes, even joy, and hope.

Yes. Grief is complicated, messy and disorienting. Common symptoms include wanting to isolate yourself from people, sleep disturbance, eating too much or not at all, physical pains, emotional torment, and pining for the one that you lost. These, and many more, are all normal.

That depends. There are some grief therapies that are strictly structured from 8-16 sessions. (about 2-4 months total). Because those sessions are very structured, we do not venture off topic. It is a little more rigid and might not be for everyone. The other option is to help you process your grief organically, which may take longer. The benefit to that is we have the flexibility to address things weekly as you need. Both approaches are helpful, and it comes down to what you would prefer. The ultimate purpose of both is to make sure that you can process your grief in a healthy manner, and to give you hope for a future that is still worth living.

Absolutely. There are many situations that we experience where grief will be present. For example: Divorce, faith transition, medical diagnosis, infidelity, loss of job, retirement, becoming an empty nester, moving, and unmet expectations are a few where you can experience grief. Society (or even family and friends) may not recognize those as things you should grieve. We refer to this as disenfranchised grief.

Yes. We refer to this type of grief as anticipatory grief. This type of grief is experienced when we anticipate a loss and start grieving before it happens. This can be very confusing as our loved one is still with us, but our hearts are so heavy. On a smaller scale, we can also experience this type of grief during moments like retirement or our kids leaving for college. We may be excited for this next chapter of our life but feel some grief at the same time as we recognize the things we will miss with the change.

No. Unfortunately, after about 3 months, people have moved on with their lives and those who are grieving are left to navigate their loss alone. People who do not understand grief may tell you that you should “be over it” by now, or that your loved one “is in a better place.” Such platitudes are often more harmful than helpful. They can feel invalidating. People who do not understand grief are often wanting you to be back to your “old self.” That simply is not possible. Your old self died with your loved one. As your therapist, I help you deal with the reality of your loss and teach you coping skills to help you process your grief as you learn to navigate life without your loved one. Our last goal in therapy is to help the “new” you move forward in life, recognizing that life can still hold joy even after loss.

It could certainly help you. The first hour would be spent doing an intake, allowing me to have some information about your situation, leaving the remaining 2 hours to give you the basics of grief and some tools to help you. Of course, when we are talking about longevity of grief, a 3-hour intensive will not solve all problems but can give you a foundation and some skills to start. If what you are processing is smaller than the loss of a loved one, perhaps, a one time 3-hour intensive would be perfect. At the end of the intensive, you can always sign up for additional sessions. (individual session or another intensive session) according to your needs.

Not necessarily. Many people experience grief and can manage without counseling. The question I would ask is, how much is your grief affecting the way you live your life? At the beginning, it will affect your life greatly. That is to be expected. What should naturally start happening is the further away you get from the loss, the more you are able to resume your normal activities, albeit, with greater difficulty than before the loss. However, if you find yourself feeling stuck, hopeless, distraught, or isolating and unable to do basic self-care (bathing, brushing your teeth, getting out of bed, etc.), I would recommend making an appointment.

Awesome! I would love to answer them. Please reach out for a free 20-minute phone or telehealth consultation to see how I can help.