Grief Therapy in California for Women in Transition
Explore the losses that are hard to name — and the healing that follows.
Grief Isn’t Just About Loss — It’s About Love
Grief is one of the most human experiences we can have.
And yet, it can feel profoundly isolating.
Whether you’re grieving the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, a shift in identity, or the life you thought you’d have — grief can be messy, non-linear, and unpredictable. It can show up as sadness, yes, but also as numbness, irritability, anxiety, forgetfulness, or even physical exhaustion.
Grief isn’t just something we feel — it’s something we carry in our bodies, in our nervous systems, and in the parts of us that tried to hold it all together when life changed.
“Grief and love are sisters, woven together from the beginning. Their kinship reminds us that there is no love that does not contain loss and no loss that is not a reminder of the love we carry for what we once held close.”
Francis Weller: The Wild Edge of Sorrow
Grief in Midlife: The Quiet Ache of Identity Change
Midlife can bring a surprising kind of grief — one that isn’t always easy to name.
You might be grieving versions of yourself that no longer feel accessible.
You may be reckoning with paths not taken, or facing the emotional weight of caregiving, parenting, or watching your children grow up and need you less.
You might be adjusting to changes in your body, your career, your relationships — and wondering who you are now that the roles you’ve held for so long are shifting.
This kind of grief isn’t loud, but it’s real. And it deserves space.
Therapy can offer support as you navigate this season of transition — not to go back to who you were, but to reconnect with who you’re becoming.
Grieving the Nurturing You Didn’t Receive
Another layer of grief that often arises in therapy is the quiet heartbreak of realizing what you didn’t get — especially from emotionally immature, unavailable, or unpredictable caregivers.
Maybe you’re only now recognizing how much you longed to be seen, soothed, or protected.
Maybe you’ve spent decades working hard to prove your worth, keep the peace, or stay “strong” — all in an effort to feel safe or loved.
And maybe now, as an adult, you’re realizing those needs were never met, and still aren’t.
This is sacred territory.
And grieving what you never had — what every child deserves — can be one of the most profound and painful parts of the healing journey.
In our work together, we’ll meet these younger parts of you with compassion. We’ll give voice to what was lost, and begin building the internal safety and self-trust that may have always been missing.
You don’t have to “move on.” You get to move with it.
The world often wants us to tidy up our grief. To “get closure.” To return to normal.
But real grief doesn’t follow a timeline. It changes us.
And while there’s no going back to who you were before the loss, therapy can help you gently move forward — with more presence, more self-compassion, and a renewed connection to what still matters.
In our work together, we’ll create space for:
Making sense of the confusing emotions of grief — including the ones you might not feel “allowed” to have
Tending to the parts of you that feel stuck, numb, or overwhelmed
Listening to how grief lives in your body — and learning to offer it compassion, not judgment
Allowing grief to transform rather than consume you
Reconnecting with meaning, memory, and self-trust in your own time and in your own way
Whether your grief is fresh or decades old, clear or complicated, you don’t have to carry it alone.
There is space here for your sorrow, your strength, and everything in between.
“Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.”
You’re allowed to grieve. You’re allowed to heal.
Grief isn’t something to “fix.”
It’s something to honor, to hold with care, and — over time — to integrate.
If you’re ready to explore your grief with tenderness and support, I’d be honored to walk alongside you.
FAQS
What others have wondered about grief counseling
-
Not at all. Our work begins wherever you are. Some clients come in ready to share their story, while others need time to feel safe, grounded, and connected before they can even name what they’ve lost. Your pace is honored here. There’s no “right” way to grieve.
-
Grief isn’t limited to the death of a loved one—though that is certainly part of it. I work with many forms of loss, including:
Death or estrangement of a parent, partner, or friend
Loss of identity or purpose in midlife
Relationship transitions or divorce
Chronic illness or caregiving-related grief
Grief for a childhood that lacked the love, safety, or stability you needed
The ache of unmet longings or dreams that no longer feel possible
If it feels like a loss to you, it matters. And it’s welcome here.
-
That’s completely normal. Grief doesn’t always look like tears. Sometimes it looks like detachment, anxiety, brain fog, irritability, or feeling shut down. These are natural nervous system responses, especially when your loss is layered or unresolved. We’ll work together to gently explore these states, with compassion and curiosity—not judgment.
-
Grief lives in the body, not just the mind. You may notice it as tightness in your chest, fatigue, restlessness, or a sense of being “on edge.” Somatic work helps you reconnect with your body’s wisdom, and learn how to regulate your nervous system as grief arises.
Parts work allows us to meet the inner voices and protective strategies that have developed around your pain—like the part that says “just keep going,” or the part that believes your needs are too much. By bringing compassion to these parts, we create space for healing, integration, and greater emotional freedom.tem description
-
It’s never too late. Whether your loss happened six months ago or 30 years ago, if it still lives in you, it deserves attention. Many people come to therapy in midlife with grief they’ve carried silently for decades. You’re not behind. You’re right on time.Item description
More questions? Check out my FAQs page.
