Our Grief Therapist
Dana Pennington - trained under Megan Divine
Grief Therapy
Grief therapy is a form of counseling designed to help people process and cope with the emotional, psychological, and physical responses to loss. While it most commonly addresses the death of a loved one, grief can take many shapes and forms. Many people experience grief over lost dreams, identities, or futures they envisioned. Grief can be triggered by the loss of a pet, divorce, job loss, or major life changes.
Grief therapy can help you process your loss and work through the sadness and disappointment. It's a space to learn to live with loss in a healthy way and develop coping strategies. The goal is to learn how to move forward and continue to live, even thrive, but that doesn't mean forgetting or "getting over it."
Frequently Asked Questions
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Normal grief is the natural response to loss. It is often experienced in waves of sadness, longing, or emptiness. It can impact your ability to concentrate, remember things, and make decisions. You might notice changes in sleep or appetite, or physical manifestations such as pain or tightness in the body.
Grief is normal, but if it intensifies or persists over many months, connecting with a professional to process the loss can be helpful. Other signs to pay attention to include: grief that negatively impacts your day-to-day functioning, an inability to accept the loss after a prolonged period, or depression that becomes overwhelming.
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Grief is subjective and can impact people in different ways, including how long it lasts. Grief can be experienced for weeks, years, or even a lifetime. It can soften over time, but depending on the circumstances of the loss, cultural beliefs, and available social support, it may not completely disappear. The goal is to learn how to move forward and continue to live, even thrive, but that doesn't mean forgetting or "getting over it." If grief remains as intense after 6-12 months, or worsens over time, professional support can help.
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There are different types and different stages of grief.
Types of grief refer to distinct categories based on circumstances or characteristics, and can include anticipatory grief, complicated grief, disenfranchised grief, collective grief, ambiguous loss, and traumatic grief.
Stages refer to the emotional journey through grief. These include acute grief (the most intense phase), active grief (when emotions remain strong but become less overwhelming), and long-term grief (when sadness softens and becomes integrated into life).
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You can participate in grief therapy without sharing all the details of your loss. Therapy can explore how the loss is affecting you and your life. You can learn coping skills and process emotions. You may identify ways to honor the loss without retelling the experience. While the nature of a loss can affect treatment, and while processing the experience may be helpful, it's important to move at the speed of trust and safety.
The process of
scheduling an appointment.
1. Schedule a Consultation
Scheduling a consultation in therapy involves setting up a phone call to discuss your goals and needs. During this initial conversation, I’ll share my specialties and approach to ensure we’re a good fit for working together. It’s a chance for us to get to know each other and decide if continuing with in-person sessions feels like the right step forward.
2. Intake Session
An intake session is an essential first step in our work together. During this one-hour session, we focus on creating a safe, welcoming space where we can begin to build rapport and explore your unique needs. I’ll guide you through a series of intake questions to better understand your background, goals, and any concerns you may have. This helps us lay the foundation for our work together and ensures we’re on the right path for your growth.
3. Ongoing Sessions
Ongoing therapy sessions are focused on supporting your progress and deepening our work together. Each session is tailored to your current needs, whether that’s exploring challenges, developing coping strategies, or working toward your goals. We aim to create a space where you feel comfortable, supported, and heard, so we can explore what matters most to you and help you move forward at your own pace. It’s all about making real progress, one step at a time.