Grief Counseling

We don’t heal from grief; we heal through it.

If we allow it, grief becomes more than a response to loss—it becomes a teacher. It moves through our bodies and our dreams, asking us to pay attention. Whether you’re mourning a loved one, facing a major life transition, or grieving the life you thought you’d have, the experience of loss invites deep reflection, surrender, and—sometimes—transformation.

I’m Sara, a depth-oriented psychotherapist in Oakland, CA. I offer grief counseling for individuals navigating all kinds of loss: tangible or symbolic, expected or sudden, named or not yet understood.

Our work together honors the psyche’s natural capacity to move toward healing—not by rushing the pain, but by making space for it to unfold.

Riding The Waves of Grief As A Spiritual Practice

Grief is not a problem to solve—it’s a lived experience that touches every part of who we are. It’s not linear or neat. Some days you may feel sorrow, then a moment of peace, only for the ache to return without warning. That’s not wrong. It’s the nature of grief.

In depth psychotherapy, we view grief as a liminal space—a sacred threshold between what was and what is becoming. As your therapist, I hold space for you to be exactly where you are. There’s no need to make sense of it all right away. This is about learning to be with what is—gently, slowly, honestly.

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Grief: It’s Not One-Size-Fits-All

Society often talks about stages of grief, but real grief rarely moves in tidy stages. It spirals. It loops. It surprises us.

Old wounds may resurface. Memories might flood in. You may even find moments of joy, laughter, or beauty in the midst of sorrow. This doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. It means you’re human.

Grief is as unique as the love—or the dream—you’ve lost.

Why Grief Has No Timeline (and Why That’s Okay)

Grief doesn’t follow a schedule. It changes you—and because of that, it stays with you. But that doesn’t mean you’ll always feel the way you do now. Over time, grief may soften. It becomes something you carry, not something that defines you.

In depth therapy, we approach grief as a form of metamorphosis. It calls you to revisit who you are and how you make meaning. It asks you to feel what perhaps you’ve never been allowed to feel before. Through this process, you may uncover a new relationship with yourself—one rooted in compassion, honesty, and presence.

Honoring What Was, While Embracing What Is

Healing isn’t about forgetting. It’s about remembering with love instead of only pain. It’s about allowing what was lost to shape you in meaningful ways. Grief work is about learning to live alongside your sorrow, and in doing so, discovering a renewed capacity for meaning, depth, and connection.

As you navigate the journey of grief, remember that you are not alone. Support is available in many forms, and while the pain may never fully disappear, life holds the possibility of joy and meaning once more. Be gentle with yourself, honor the process, and trust that healing, while slow, is possible.

Contact me if you’re experiencing grief with:

• The death of a loved one (or anticipating their death)

• A life-altering or life-threatening diagnosis

• The loss of a beloved pet

• A breakup or divorce

• Career or caregiver burnout

• Unfulfilled dreams or hopes

• Major disappointment

• Loss of identity or purpose

• Estrangement or loss of a community

• Relocation, displacement, or loss of home

• Climate grief

• Childhood neglect or emotional trauma

Grief Counseling for Caregivers and Healthcare Professionals

If you’re in a role of caregiving—whether professionally or personally—grief can take on quiet, complicated forms. You may be grieving the suffering you witness every day, the patients or clients you’ve lost, or the toll it’s taken on your body and spirit. You may be holding grief for the version of yourself that used to feel more hopeful, more energized, more connected.

As a therapist who works with healthcare professionals, therapists, and caretakers, I understand the unique weight of this kind of grief. It often goes unspoken—eclipsed by your sense of duty, your desire to help, or the pressure to keep going.

You may feel emotionally numb, burnt out, spiritually exhausted—or like you’re carrying sorrow that doesn’t fully belong to you. This is grief, too.

In depth psychotherapy, we make space for the grief that doesn’t always have language. Together, we can explore your emotional fatigue, spiritual depletion, and the quiet ache of showing up for others while forgetting how to show up for yourself.

If you’re a caregiver in need of care—this space is for you, too.

Grief as a Portal to Aliveness

To grieve fully is to open your heart to life again. This isn’t about rushing through the pain, or bypassing it. It’s about tending to it with presence and care. It’s about allowing your grief to reshape you—not into someone “better,” but into someone more whole.