Grief or Loss

I am experienced in helping clients acknowledge and engage with their grief or loss. This could be a life transition, change in relationship, death of a loved one, etc.

Grief and loss is complicated. Sometimes those around us don’t understand or don’t know how to treat us or talk to us after we’ve experienced a loss. Losing a loved one or something major in our lives is something that we’re expected to “get over”. I help people find their grief and what they need during these hard times without the expectation of “getting over it”. I primarily use Complicated Grief Therapy but I also just listen, talk to you about the loss and hold space as needed.

Losing someone will never be easy or simple. Maybe you're having a harder time than you thought you would. Or it's exactly as hard as you thought. Therapy can help soothe some of that pain and get you through the next day/week/month/year. There's no wrong way to grieve, but sometimes we need help even when we're doing everything "right." If what you're doing feels harder than you think you can handle, please reach out.

Grief and Loss are and can be a significant part of a person's life, a sentinel event, a cumulation of losses that may have begun in childhood and carried over to adult life, and many more experiences that constitute grief and loss. We can be left with significant physical and emotional health issues when confronted with grief and loss. I am a huge proponent of grief and loss processing and will approach this from a highly tailored and sequential format that is specific to your needs.

This is really the human experience in that we all endure a variety of losses in life - from unmet expectations to changing relationships to retirement to the illness and/or death of a loved one - and we process that grief in a culture that does not support us as well as it could/should. Along with my own experiences with grief and loss, I have taken multiple classes and witnessed alongside numerous clients in their stories of grief and loss.

Grief is a natural response to loss, whether from the death of a loved one, a relationship ending, or major life changes. This emotional process can bring feelings of sadness, anger, confusion, and guilt. I offer compassionate grief counseling in a supportive environment, recognizing that grief is unique to each person. I provide tools to help you process emotions and cope with pain. My goal is to honor your feelings and support you as you move forward.

Trained in Grief and Loss and a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist, I can help you move through your loss and find joy and purpose again. I utilize the Grief Recovery Method to will help you work through your losses and identify what has been holding you back, areas where you have gotten stuck, and learning how to let go of the pain and suffering. I also am trained in Brainspotting and getting trained in Accelerated Resolution Therapy.

Grief can arise from both death-related and non-death-related losses. Whether your loss is recent or occurred years ago, psychotherapy can help you navigate the complex emotions that accompany it, such as sadness, anger, shame, regret, guilt, and unresolved feelings.

Part of the human experience is encountering & coping with loss. This is unavoidable. Grief and loss encompass many areas including but not limited to the death of a loved one, a pet, the loss of a relationship, job or an unexpected change in health. Grief & loss may be related to a dream or narrative we had for self which may no longer be an option. Heartache is real and can be devastating. It is important to put words to our emotions and allow them to move opposed to remaining stagnant.

We currently live in a culture that is adverse to feelings of grief and loss, as evidenced by the many "quick fixes" none of which actually work. Loosing something or someone can be extremely difficult and painful and we have to learn how move through grief by feeling it and learning how to carry it within us in a way that can be transformative. When we loose someone or something important to us even though they or it may be gone, it is still a part of who we are.

Grief and loss is an inevitable part of life. Compassionate, understanding support can be the foundation for adjusting to the new normal and healing.

Whether a loss is expected or unexpected, there is often no easy way to cope with the changes and challenges that ensue, whether from loss of a loved one, a pet, a relationship, or systemic challenges to be mourned such as climate change or a pandemic. It can be helpful to explore unfinished processes and identify one's own needs that become clearer in the experience of grief or loss. There is no way out, there is only a way through.

Claudia completed The New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care - Foundations Program, where she offered spiritual care and counsel for the sick, dying and their families.

Everyone will experience loss in their lives. How we grieve is a unique process, however. I work with clients to normalize their own experience while assimilating to life after loss. Grief is never about "just getting over it".

Despite profound pain, the human spirit can mend, create cherished memories, and bear loss with resilience and laughter. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing(EMDR) aids in processing grief and separation distress, promoting positive memories and emotional release. This therapy fosters compassionate integration and adjustment, transitioning from "I cannot connect" to "I can connect"in the face of grief, all while maintaining the importance of preserving memories rather than erasing them.

Loss can be an incredibly isolating experience. It can feel like no one knows the right thing to say & that your pain will never end. If you’re wondering how you are going to face tomorrow, cope with shattered dreams, or feel like you can’t do this on your own, you are not alone. There’s no “normal” timetable & typically no right or wrong way to grieve. Whether your loss occurred recently or long ago, you deserve space for processing & honoring your grief.  I'm here to help.

Grief is a natural response to loss. Whether it’s a close friend, spouse, partner, parent, child, or other relative, few things are as painful as losing someone you love. After such a significant loss, life may never seem quite the same again. But in time, you can ease your sorrow, start to look to the future, and eventually come to terms with your loss.