Finding Healing: The Ultimate Guide to Grief Counseling Near You

Grief can feel like a thick fog…clouding your mind, weighing down your body, and making even simple tasks feel impossible. Whether you’ve lost a loved one, experienced a miscarriage, are navigating a major life change or are carrying old trauma that’s been stirred up by loss, the journey to healing is anything but simple.

If you're searching for grief counseling near me, you're already taking a brave and important first step.

This guide will walk you through what grief counseling really is, how it works, and how to find a therapist who understands your unique experience. Grief looks different for everyone, and finding support that meets you where you are is key.

If you’re Googling for “grief counseling near me”, you’re already taking a brave an important first step.

What Is Grief Trauma?

Grief is a natural response to loss—but it’s not just sadness. Grief can show up as anger, anxiety, irritability, guilt, exhaustion, numbness, confusion, and even physical symptoms. It can be hard to eat, hard to sleep, hard to think clearly. That’s not a sign that something is wrong with you. That’s grief doing what it does. 

Sometimes grief and trauma go hand-in-hand. If the loss was sudden, traumatic, or complicated, you may feel stuck, haunted by memories, or unable to move forward in a way that makes sense. Grief counseling that understands trauma can help you process both the pain of what happened and how it’s affecting your daily life. It is also important to remember that if your loss feels traumatic to you, that is valid and deserves care and expert support. 

Why Grief Counseling Matters

Not everyone needs therapy to move through grief, but if you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed, or if your support system just isn’t able to hold what you’re carrying, it may be time to connect with a grief therapist. It is important to choose a grief and trauma therapist near you that is trained in grief and trauma recovery.

Counseling offers more than just a place to talk. It’s a space to be fully seen and supported, without needing to explain or justify your pain. A grief therapist can help you understand what’s happening in your body and mind, recognize the ripple effects of grief, and build tools to cope with the waves.

You don’t have to “move on,” and you’re not broken. You’re grieving. With the right support, it becomes possible to move forward with your grief—not in spite of it.

Signs You May Benefit from Grief Counseling

Grief doesn’t follow a timeline, but here are a few signs that working with a therapist might be helpful:

• You feel like you’re drowning in sadness, anger, guilt, or numbness

• Your grief is making it hard to function at work, at home, or in relationships

• You’re avoiding reminders of your loss or isolating yourself

• You’re experiencing sleep issues, appetite changes, or chronic stress

• Friends and family want you to “get over it,” but you’re not ready—or you don’t want to

Grief therapy isn’t about rushing your process. It’s about supporting you to learn how to hold it in ways that feel meaningful and authentic to you.

What Kinds of Grief Counseling Are Available?

You’ve got options when it comes to grief counseling. The most common formats include:

Individual therapy: One-on-one sessions that offer personalized support, privacy, and tools tailored to your unique needs. Individual therapy might include therapy intensives which offer extended sessions or trauma processing through a therapeutic modality like EMDR. 

Group therapy: Connecting with others who are grieving can bring a sense of belonging and relief. Groups can be general or focused on specific types of loss (child loss, pregnancy loss, partner death, etc.).

Family therapy: When grief affects a whole family system, counseling can help family members navigate their own emotions while learning to support each other.

Each format has its benefits. The most important thing is finding the kind of support that feels right for you.

You don’t have to ‘move on,’ and you’re not broken. You’re grieving. With the right support, it becomes possible to move forward with your grief—not in spite of it.

What to Expect in a Grief Counseling Session

In our first session, I’ll ask about what brings you in, what kind of loss you’ve experienced, and how it’s showing up in your life. There’s no pressure to explain everything perfectly—this is a space where you can exhale.

Over time, we’ll explore how grief is affecting you emotionally, mentally, physically, behaviorally and relationally. You’ll learn tools to cope with the hard days and build capacity for the good ones. Depending on your needs, we might incorporate EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) to work through trauma or stuck points that feel especially heavy.

Healing doesn’t mean forgetting or replacing your loss. It means finding ways to live with it that feel more bearable and sometimes even meaningful.

In-Person and Virtual Counseling: What’s Right for You?

I provide virtual grief therapy throughout Washington State, so you can access support from anywhere—whether you're in Seattle, Spokane, or a smaller town with limited options. Virtual sessions can be a lifeline for those who need flexibility, privacy, or simply don’t want to add another commute to their already-full plate.

If you're local to the Gig Harbor, Tacoma, or Olympia areas, in-person sessions are also available and can offer a grounded, present-moment experience. Some clients choose to combine virtual and in-person support, depending on their schedule and preferences.

Not Local to Gig Harbor? Consider a Grief Therapy Intensive

If you’re outside of Gig Harbor but searching for expert, meaningful grief counseling near you, a grief therapy intensive might be a powerful option.

Grief intensives are customized sessions where we meet for several hours over one to three days to go deeper into your grief work. These sessions are ideal if you want focused support, are traveling from elsewhere in Washington, or are ready to move beyond weekly talk therapy and into a healing experience that’s more immersive.

You’ll leave with:

• A clearer understanding of your grief and how it's affecting you

• Coping strategies that are realistic and compassionate

• Tools for managing trauma-related symptoms, especially if we integrate EMDR

• A sense of relief, clarity, and space to breathe again

Some clients book a local Airbnb or VRBO in Gig Harbor to create a retreat-style experience. You can pair your grief work with restorative activities like massage, time in nature, or quiet mornings by the water. Gig Harbor is easily accessible from cities like Tacoma, Olympia, University Place, Port Orchard, Poulsbo, and others.

Intensives begin with a virtual intake to design the experience around your needs, and we’ll schedule virtual follow-ups so you’re supported beyond your time here.

How to Find a Grief Counselor Near You

Whether you work with me or someone else, here are a few ways to start your search:

• Ask for referrals from your doctor, OB, or trusted friends

• Use directories like Psychology Today or TherapyDen and filter by “grief” or “trauma”

• Look into providers certified in EMDR or perinatal mental health if that aligns with your experience

• Check if the therapist offers virtual sessions, sliding scale options, or intensives

When you’re ready to reach out, trust your gut. A good grief counselor won’t try to fix you or focus on treating grief as a pathology. They’ll sit with you in the mess and help you carry it more gently.

Questions to Ask a Potential Grief Therapist

To make sure you find a good fit, consider asking:

• What’s your experience working with grief, trauma, or my specific kind of loss?

• Do you use any particular modalities, like EMDR or somatic work?

• What can I expect from the process?

• Do you offer in-person or virtual sessions—or both?

• What’s your availability and fee structure?

You deserve to work with someone who respects your grief and supports your healing without judgment.

You’re Not Alone

If you’re Googling grief counseling near me, it probably means you’re overwhelmed—and maybe a little exhausted trying to figure out how to keep going. That makes sense. Grief is heavy. And the world doesn’t always make space for it.

But here’s what I want you to know: You don’t have to do this alone. You deserve support that honors your experience, helps you make sense of what’s happening, and gives you tools to live your life without abandoning your grief.

Whether through weekly therapy, a grief intensive, or another path entirely, healing is possible—and it starts with one small, brave step.

If you’re ready to begin, please reach out. You deserve expert care and support as you navigate your grief.

Jen Reisinger, MA, LMHC, PMH-C

Ready to Begin?

If you’re ready to explore grief therapy, whether through virtual sessions or an in-person intensive, I’d be honored to walk alongside you. You don’t need to have it all figured out. Just reaching out is enough. Click here to schedule a free consultation or learn more about how we can work together. Let’s find a way forward that feels possible, honest, and rooted in your real life.