Grief & Loss

“Grief is like the ocean; it comes on waves ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim.” – Anonymous

Grief is such a hard thing, and I’m here for you. You might feel no one truly understands what you’re going through. It might feel like no one’s there for you. The people around you might be uncomfortable talking about it. Oftentimes people don’t want to name your loved one, and they don’t talk about the memories of your loved one because they don’t want to upset you or make you sad. However, the reality is: grief is sad and with me, you can talk about all of it.

Although grief is often thought of as caused by the death of a loved one, that is not the only time grief comes up. A loved one can include human beings, but also pets. Grief also comes up in the loss of one’s marriage, relationship, career, dreams, goals, physicality, health, identity, and so many other aspects. These are all valid reasons to experience grief, and you deserve support no matter what the context.

Because grief is unique to each individual, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to therapy. No two bereavements are the same. This type of therapy is not about a goal; it’s about the process. You’re never going to be “over” the loss. It doesn’t go away; it hurts less.

Therapy is a space where you can talk about anything. You can tell me what you want me to know about your loved one, about how they died, how you found out, what was your involvement after they died, what your dynamics with them were, and what your hopes had been for that relationship. We'll celebrate the joys of the relationship. And, this is also a place where we can talk about what may have been difficult about the relationship.

Grief doesn’t have a set timeline. Society will typically acknowledge the death early on, give you a few bereavements days from work, and then it will be ready for you to be “finished” grieving. Grief does not work this way. You might find yourself in a form of shock for months. After 3-6 months it might feel like everyone around you has just gone on with their lives and do not bring up the death or talk about the person who died. When you most need support and to talk about your loved one - the support around you may have ceased to exist.

My Experience & Expertise

I received specialized bereavement counseling training in the UK and went on to provide this specialized counseling for 5 years. I also held a placement at King’s College Hospital in their Psychotherapy and Counseling Department which provided palliative care counseling, as well as counseling to individuals diagnosed with chronic illnesses. At King’s College Hospital, I was also part of a team that provided support to hospital personnel who experienced work-related trauma and grief from a high number of patient deaths on their wards. Additionally, I was a support worker with Victim Support and Witness Services at the Old Bailey Central Criminal Court in which I had specialized training in supporting persons bereaved by homicide as well as supporting the traumatised family members of those who had committed these acts.

I have a lot of experience with many different aspects of grief and trauma and loss. Life is messy and processing grief can be messy. I’m someone who can hold space for whatever is showing up for you. You can break in front of me, and I’ll help you glue the pieces back together in a different way.

I would be honored to walk along this path with you. You can reach out using my contact form.