Grief Counseling in Los Angeles
grief therapy in Highland Park for people navigating loss, death, & dying
The experience of loss is profound, and it can take many forms. Loss is often discussed in relation to death or dying. You can experience the loss of a person or a pet. You can experience the process of your own death, or someone else’s. We often culturally reserve grief as an emotional experience warranted by death and bereavement, which we’ll talk more about below, but at Kindman & Co., we also want to normalize grief as a likely reaction to any loss. You can experience the loss of a marriage, of a partner, of a career, of stability, of dreams you’ve had for yourself, of purpose, of health.
If you’ve been taught to avoid conversations around loss, when it does arrive, it can be exceedingly difficult to make sense of what has happened, and to ask for support. Even those who feel prepared for a loss are often surprised at the depth and intensity of their experience. At Kindman & Co., we see the feelings that surround grief and loss as important and powerful. Your process of grief is valuable and real, and we’d be honored to accompany and support you.
death, dying & bereavement
Death and dying, in whatever form—whether sudden, after a long illness, intimately close, quite distant, still impending, a single instance, or tragically frequent—can be painful, overwhelming, and life-changing. When encountering death you are pushed, all at once, to a new place. Proximity to death often provides a new frame of reference for living and motivates an examination of your mortality and your own life.
The questions death raises are often big, existential ones about identity, purpose, relationship, love, and meaning. These are difficult questions to hold by yourself. Depending upon the circumstances, death and the questions it raises can be very different—a miscarriage or stillbirth might raise questions distinct from those generated by the death of a loved one at an old age. This does not mean that the questions prompted by one kind of loss are more significant—all the questions that death brings up are valid and relevant.
Unlike many other experiences, death is permanent. Despite this enormity and the inevitable universality of loss, the dominant culture provides few templates to address the questions death raises for the living and offers few places to have discussions about death and dying before they occur. Whether it is the death of another or our own death, we are taught to avoid thinking and speaking directly about the topic. After death, culture and society likewise dissuade people from grieving publicly, sending the message that big feelings of grief or bereavement are inappropriate or wrong. We know that grief is normal and human.
what is grief?
Grief is the deep emotional response to any loss. Grief can appear as sadness, sorrow, anger, despair, denial, trauma, disconnection, numbness, relief, regret, humor, or even joy (and, mind you, this list is far from exhaustive). Grief can be one thing and then, suddenly, another. It can change your perception of time, and shift your sense of self. Grief is a powerful process, with no schedule, no rules, and no simple cure. Each person and each relationship are unique, and because of this, each process of grief is equally singular. There is no one way to process or to experience loss. Because of this, grief can often be unmooring, isolating, or lonely. Even within an intimate relationship, family or group, loss affects individuals in different ways. Grief is also very dependent upon someone’s community and systems of meaning. At Kindman & Co., our therapists approach grief with the same social-justice informed values they bring to every kind of therapy, acknowledging the environment, context, and systems that can impact someone’s experience of grief.
grief counseling in los angeles
Therapy can offer a supportive space to feel deeply, process and make sense of your experience, and openly ask big and reflective questions. Our team of grief counselors can help you:
Find meaning or make new meaning of your own.
Integrate the experience of a loss- This can mean integrating loss into your identity, finding new connections, or figuring out how to live authentically in the context of loss.
Navigate the generative process of reworking or recreating the ideas of what life is “supposed” to be or look like.
Respond to the isolating facets of grief-the therapeutic relationship is intimate and connected. Through this intimacy, your therapist can be with you—a witness to your grief, a support, and a grounding, present connection.
Prevent engaging in behaviors that are out of character or risky
Grief Therapy provides an environment where talking about loss, death, or dying is accepted, welcomed, and valued. You do not have to grieve alone.
when should i seek grief counseling?
Some people choose to seek therapy immediately after a loss, while others wait until they feel the most acute pain has passed to begin delving more deeply into their emotions. For some, the anticipation of a loss or death urges them to seek support even before the loss has occurred. As with the process of grief, there is no right time to seek support. Our team of grief counselors in los angeles is here for you—ready to feel deeply, think broadly, and make meaning together.
let's begin.
You are not in this alone. You were never meant to be. Each and every one of us innately possesses strengths to live more enriching, joyful lives; let us help you to (re)connect to your strengths to find well-being.
