Grief Counseling
Virtual Therapy in Hawaii, California, Utah, Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Florida
“Healing is a process, not a destination. Although some people make it look extremely easy, life can be a very challenging journey. Whether our struggles are big or seemingly small, we are all worthy of support in navigating the complexities.”
Michal Cohen, LCSW
Losing a loved one is like being punched in the gut day after day...
Losing a loved one is like being punched in the gut day after day with a barrage of powerful thoughts and feelings. Sometimes, you probably wish you could just turn off your emotions, but grief is supposed to be felt! It’s supposed to be witnessed and honored.
The question is, how are you supposed to do that in the face of constant stomach aches and insomnia, social isolation and uncertainty, and the feeling of hopelessness and dread? Maybe that’s why you’re considering grief counseling—you just need to find a way to navigate and honor your loss without it causing so much suffering.
Grief Can Ebb And Flow Unpredictably
Sometimes, memories can flood you with intense feelings of sadness, guilt, fear, and anger without warning. As a result, you may find yourself avoiding painful reminders of your loved one—packing up old clothes and putting away pictures—which only makes you feel worse.
Engaging in mundane tasks like making coffee or showering can either be pleasant or overwhelming, so you never know how something’s going to affect you. Friends may not fully understand the depth of your loss. Family members don’t have the objectivity or expertise to help—and society just wants you to pull it together and get back to work, so you suffer in isolation.
The reality is that you are not meant to navigate this pain on your own, nor do you have to. As a certified grief facilitator, I want to give you the space, time, and support needed to honor your loved one in a way that allows you to heal and live with their memory in peace.
Why Does It Feel Like We’re All Pressured To Grieve Too Quickly?
Truthfully, our society sucks when it comes to grieving! We expect people to just move on after a painful loss, when in reality, grief needs to be seen and acknowledged. Unfortunately, the importance of the grieving process is often overlooked due to societal expectations, cultural norms, and family upbringing.
Instead, we often think, I should be over this by now. Why am I still feeling this way? We fail to recognize that grief is a natural response to loss—a primal and visceral expression of the love we feel for that person. We also fail to realize that grief has no set-in-stone timetable, as everyone grieves at their own pace.
Why Is Counseling So Important For Navigating Grief?
Our culture has heavily normalized coping through avoidance, so a lot of people either suppress their emotions or wait for time to heal their wounds. Some individuals experience grief so painful that it’s too overwhelming to manage on their own.
Most people, including their support systems, lack essential tools—such as mindfulness skills and emotional regulation strategies—to offer meaningful support. For others, loss can trigger previous trauma that complicates the emotional landscape. And nearly everyone questions their own grieving process, which creates an even greater emotional burden.
As the founder of Therapy with Michal, I want you to know that grieving is a natural process that belongs to you and only you. As your counselor, I simply want to bear witness to your story, give you space to process your grief, and guide you toward a future that feels brighter and more hopeful.
Grief Counseling Is About Finding Acceptance, Peace, And Renewed Hope
Unlike certain illnesses and medical conditions, there is no cure, no magic bullet for overcoming grief. Rather, the only way we can move through that kind of pain is by feeling our feelings and allowing ourselves to grieve as we need to—however long it takes.
The key is not about learning how to let go of your loved one and move on. Rather, it’s about integrating the loss into your life—keeping your loved one alive in your heart while also allowing yourself the chance to live. Over time, the weight will grow lighter, your spirit will grow stronger, and you will find happiness again.
What Are My Grief Counseling Sessions Like?
In our first counseling session, I’ll provide you with some psychoeducation about grief and the grieving process to normalize why you feel exhausted, angry, or unable to focus or function properly. I’ll teach you about the stages of grief and how they’re not always linear.
I’ll also look at your self-care: How are you eating? How is your sleep hygiene? How can we improve those areas? We’ll gently look at the nature of your relationship with the person you lost: what their absence means to you, what you want to celebrate about them, and how other losses in your life may complicate grief.
We can even create customized ceremonies or explore rituals based on your cultural/spiritual/religious beliefs (if you wish). The goal of grief and loss counseling is to help you feel your feelings, process your loss, and grieve and honor your loved one in ways that bring you greater peace.
What Therapeutic Strategies Do I Use In Grief Counseling?
Many people in mourning naturally try to suppress their emotions, but healing requires awareness and acceptance, so we need to give ourselves time and space to grieve.
- Compassionate Inquiry (CI) is a psychotherapeutic approach, developed by my teacher Dr. Gabor Mate, that is central to all of my work. With Compassionate Inquiry, we are trying to make a space for you to feel what has not been felt so you don’t stay stuck in a cycle of grief and pain indefinitely.
- Brainspotting and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) reduce the emotional intensity of a traumatic loss while helping you challenge ideas you were conditioned to believe about how you should grieve. That may involve looking at your cultural background, religious practices, or how your family coped with grief and loss.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT for grief), Mindfulness Practices, and Polyvagal Theory can equip you with skills that activate your parasympathetic nervous system, promoting greater psychological flexibility and resilience.
- Water Bowl Rituals are personalized ceremonies that give you a way to express your grief, share fond memories, honor your loved one, and symbolically release your pain. We can even explore Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy and/or Cannabis-Assisted Therapy if you’re open to it.
Grief And Loss Are Incredibly Painful
So it’s natural to feel like the weight will never lighten, but with time, support, and the right tools, healing is absolutely possible. Remember: grief isn’t about forgetting—it’s about finding a new relationship with your loss.
Together, we can explore the depth of your feelings and honor your unique connection to your loved one. While you may never stop missing them, you can discover how to carry their memory with you in a way that feels more like love than pain.
Still Have Questions About Grief And Loss Counseling?
How long will therapy take to heal my grief?
Grief is a deeply personal and non-linear journey, which means there’s no set timeline for healing. It unfolds differently for everyone and is influenced by factors like the nature of the loss, your support system, and your unique life experiences.
While you may never completely “get over” the loss, you can learn to integrate it into your life such that it allows you to move forward with meaning and purpose.
Is it normal to still be mourning after such a long time?
Yes, it’s completely normal. Grief doesn’t have an expiration date, and its intensity can ebb and flow over time. Certain milestones, anniversaries, or reminders can bring feelings of loss back to the surface, even years later.
This is a natural part of the grieving process, and it doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong—it’s just that everyone has their own timeline for healing.
How can I tell if my grief has become something more serious, like depression?
Grief and depression can share some similarities, but they’re not the same. Grief often involves waves of sadness alongside moments of connection or even joy.
Depression, on the other hand, is more pervasive, typically accompanied by a persistent sense of hopelessness or disconnection.
If your grief feels overwhelming or prevents you from engaging in daily life for an extended period, it may be time to seek support from a therapist. Therapy can help you understand and address these emotions so you don’t have to remain stuck in this holding pattern of pain and grief forever.
By Truly Honoring Our Grief, We Learn To Heal And Evolve
We live in a society that shuns expressing emotions and yielding to pain, but the only way out is through “feeling your feelings” in the presence of someone who understands—and that’s what I’m here for. If you would like to honor your loved one and reclaim your life from grief, please call Therapy with Michal at (347) 860-1471 or use my contact form to set up your free, 15-minute consultation.
Therapy with Michal offers online grief counseling services for adults in CA, FL, PA, UT, NV, Honolulu, and all of the neighbor islands.