Therapy for Grief and Loss
in Pasadena & Sierra Madre & online throughout Califormia
Compassionate therapy for those navigating bereavement, complicated grief, anticipatory grief, and the life changes that follow significant loss.
Grief changes the shape of your life
Loss can divide your life into a before and an after.
You may be grieving the death of someone you love, the decline of an aging parent, the end of a relationship, a changing family, a lost future, or a version of life you expected to have.
Some days, the grief may feel sharp and consuming. On others, it may appear quietly—in a familiar song, an ordinary memory, or the instinct to reach for someone who is no longer there.
You may feel sadness, anger, guilt, numbness, relief, confusion, or even moments of joy. Grief rarely unfolds in a predictable order, and there is no correct timeline for finding your way through it.
You do not need to rush toward acceptance or leave the person or life you loved behind. Therapy can offer a place to carry your grief differently, honor what has been lost, and slowly make room for life alongside it.
Grief can take many forms.
Grief is not limited to the death of a loved one. It can accompany any meaningful loss or transition that changes how you understand your life.
You may be grieving:
The death of a parent, partner, child, sibling, friend, or other loved one
An anticipated death or serious illness
The loss of a pregnancy or hoped-for child
Divorce, separation, or the end of an important relationship
Estrangement or a relationship that never became what you needed
A major health diagnosis or change in physical ability
The loss of a home, community, career, or sense of safety
A child growing up or a family entering a new season
The future you imagined for yourself
Sometimes grief is recognized and supported by others. Other losses are less visible, leaving you to carry them quietly.
Whatever you are grieving, your loss deserves space.
As you move through grief, you may notice…
✓ Waves of sadness that arrive without warning
✓ Numbness or difficulty feeling anything at all
✓ Anger, guilt, regret, or unanswered questions
✓ Trouble concentrating or completing ordinary tasks
✓ Feeling disconnected from friends, family, or daily life
✓ Anxiety about further loss or the safety of people you love
✓ Physical exhaustion, disrupted sleep, or changes in appetite
✓ Feeling pressure to be “doing better” by now
✓ Avoiding reminders—or seeking them out
✓ Wondering who you are now that your life has changed
These responses do not mean you are grieving incorrectly. They reflect the many ways the mind and body respond when someone or something deeply meaningful is gone.
Therapy offers a place for your grief to be witnessed.
Grief can feel lonely, even when you are surrounded by people who care about you. Others may become uncomfortable with your pain, offer quick reassurance, or expect you to return to normal before you are ready.
In therapy, you do not have to protect anyone from what you are feeling.
Together, we can make space for the full complexity of your loss—including sadness, anger, love, guilt, relief, longing, and the questions that may never have simple answers.
Depending on your needs, I may integrate attachment-based therapy, Internal Family Systems, EMDR, somatic work, and nervous-system regulation. Therapy may help you process painful memories, soften guilt or self-blame, navigate changes in identity and relationships, and find ways to remain connected to what mattered without feeling trapped in the most painful moments of your loss.
The goal is not to forget, move on, or become who you were before.
It is to help you carry your grief with greater support, compassion, and room to keep living.
You don’t have to have it all figured out before reaching out. We’ll take it one step at a step at a time.
Frequently Asked Questions
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You do not need to reach a certain level of distress or wait a specific amount of time before seeking support. Therapy may be helpful when grief feels overwhelming, isolating, difficult to discuss with others, or disruptive to your relationships and daily life. It can also provide meaningful support when you simply need a place where your loss can be acknowledged without judgment or pressure.
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No. Grief does not follow a fixed schedule or predictable set of stages. Its intensity may change over time, but meaningful dates, transitions, and unexpected reminders can bring feelings back to the surface. Therapy does not attempt to rush this process. Instead, it supports you in understanding and carrying your grief in a way that feels manageable and authentic.
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Grief can remain present or resurface long after a loss. You may find that it feels different during a new life stage, anniversary, family transition, or period of stress. It is never too late to seek support or process aspects of a loss that still feel unresolved.
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Yes. Guilt, regret, and thoughts about what you should have done differently are common in grief. Therapy can help you understand these feelings, process painful memories, and approach yourself with greater perspective and compassion.
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Anticipatory grief can occur when you know a significant loss may be coming, such as during a loved one’s serious illness, cognitive decline, or end-of-life care. You may grieve changes that have already happened while also fearing what lies ahead. Therapy can provide space to process these layered emotions and support you through the uncertainty.
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EMDR may be helpful when grief is complicated by traumatic memories, distressing images, guilt, or the circumstances surrounding a death or loss. It does not erase the relationship or the grief. It can help reduce the intensity of painful memories so you can remember the person or experience without feeling pulled back into the most distressing moments.
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Yes. I offer in-person therapy in Sierra Madre, serving women throughout Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley, as well as secure online therapy for adults throughout California.