Experienced In

Sudden and Traumatic Death

When death occurs unexpectedly through accidents, violence, or sudden medical events, the survivors who are left grappling with it all often experience shock, disbelief, and intensified grief. This grief often requires additional support to process the trauma alongside the loss.

Anticipatory Grief

Anticipatory grief occurs when someone begins grieving before an expected loss, such as when a loved one has a terminal illness. This grief is often times challenging. It allows for some preparation and planning, though it can be emotionally exhausting and is ongoing. It does not at all diminish the pain and grief after the actual death occurs.

Pet Loss Grief

The death of a beloved pet can be a deep and profound loss. It is not just the absence of their physical presence that hurts - it is the quiet space they once filled. The sound of their paws, their bark, and the greeting at the door, tails wagging. Our pets are cherished family members who provide unconditional love, companionship and comfort everyday. The bond between humans and their animals is deeply meaningful and is the grief. No one understands this pain like another dog lover. It is raw and deep. I know the deep bond, connection and love and the loss and grief.

Pregnancy Loss

Miscarriage, stillbirth, infant loss and IVF grief are devastating experiences that involve many layers and levels of grief and loss. These losses can feel isolating and may be invisible to others. Sometimes met with inadequate or limited support. It is often not spoken about.

Wounds and Complicated Grief

Complicated grief occurs when grief is compounded by trauma, ambivalent relationships, estrangement, old wounds surface, or circumstances arise that prevent space for grieving.

Jewish Rituals for Bereavement, Grief and Loss

Jewish tradition provides practices including sitting shiva, reciting Kaddish, and observing yearly remembrance on the Yahrzeit. These rituals create support, honor the deceased, and guide mourners on a path of mourning and honoring loved ones.

Mental Illness in the Family

When a family member struggles with mental illness, relatives often experience a form of grief related to the loss of the person they once knew or hoped they would be. This ongoing, ambiguous loss can involve cycles of hope and discouragement while managing the emotional toll of caregiving, living in uncertainty and/or estrangement.

A Buddhist Perspective for Grieving

Buddhist teachings approach grief through understanding impermanence and the nature of attachment, encouraging mindfulness and compassion toward one's suffering. Rather than suppressing pain, Buddhist practice involves sitting with grief, recognizing it as part of the human experience, and finding meaning through acceptance and loving-kindness.

Children and Families of Holocaust Survivors

Second and third generation descendants of Holocaust survivors often carry intergenerational trauma, experiencing anxiety, hypervigilance, or depression related to their family's history. The transmission of trauma can occur through family silence or through the weight of survival stories, affecting identity, relationships, and emotional wellbeing across generations.