Grief Counseling



Grief counseling can help if you are grieving the death of a loved one or grieving any loss. You do not have to be alone with the grief and pain. Talking to someone else can help. Even if it does not seem possible right now, you can feel better.

Grief counseling can give you the necessary support to express and process your feelings and thoughts. If desired, EMDR therapy can help you move more quickly through the grief process. Also, education about the grieving process is part of counseling, and people often find it comforting to know more about the process.

Stages of Grief

Experiencing grief can be a very difficult and confusing time. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross initially suggested that there are five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. A newer model suggests the phases are shock, protest, disorganization/feeling like everything is falling apart, reorganization/putting one’s life back together again, and acceptance/moving forward. Acceptance does not mean that you like the situation, just that you see the situation as it is and find a way to begin to enjoy life again.

Often, people also feel anxiety and/or guilt, along with grief.

There is no wrong way to grieve. While the above descriptions are rough ideas of what people experience, we do not move through these phases in a linear fashion, nor does everyone experience every phase. Grieving is a process that often comes in waves, with each wave being a deeper level of healing and processing.

Isolated?

People often feel very isolated in their grief. Too often, family and friends try to push the person to feel better and be 'done' grieving. In trying to help the person 'cheer up', they leave the person isolated with his/her painful feelings. Grieving is a process, and it takes as long as it takes. I see it as a process that is never truly 'done'. I encourage you to find supportive people who can listen and be with you.

Please know that there is help available. You do not have to be alone while grieving.

Therapy Office in Sunnyvale

My office is in Sunnyvale, California on Wolfe Rd., near El Camino Real (also close to Santa Clara, Cupertino, and Mountain View). Parking is easy; there is a large parking lot.

1021 S. Wolfe Rd., Suite 255
Sunnyvale, CA 94086

Directions to Sunnyvale Therapy Office

About Me

I am a therapist/counselor in Sunnyvale, California. I primarily work with individual adults. (LMFT Lic. # LMFT40414)

Please visit my therapy home page for more information about me.

To Schedule an Appointment or Ask Questions

Call me or email me at stacy@stacyoleary.com to ask any questions you have or set up an appointment. You can also schedule a free phone consultation with me.