Grief is not a problem to solve
Most people who contact me about grief have already been told what they should be feeling. That it gets easier. That their person is in a better place. That it has been long enough. Most of them have gotten very good at nodding and saying they’re fine.
You don’t have to be fine here.
The death of a spouse, a parent, a child, a sibling, or a close friend changes your routines, your identity, and your sense of safety. It shows up in your sleep, your appetite, and your concentration. It brings feelings people don’t warn you about: anger at the person for leaving, guilt over what you did or didn’t do, relief if the end was long, and a numbness that can be scarier than tears.
None of that means you are grieving wrong.
What grief counseling looks like with me
I treat grief as something to carry, not something to fix. Depending on the week, a session might be:
- Talking about your person. Who they were, how they died, what you miss. For many people this is the only place they can do that without watching someone else get uncomfortable.
- Making sense of your body. Why you can’t focus, why the second year can be harder than the first, why a smell in a store can undo you.
- Sitting with the complicated parts. The unfinished conversation, the relief, the anger.
- Getting through the hard dates with a plan instead of dread.
- Building a life that includes the loss rather than one that waits for it to disappear.
I use grief-informed approaches with research behind them, but I adjust to you. Some weeks need structure. Some weeks you just need to be heard.
Sudden, traumatic, and complicated loss
Some losses are heavier than others. A death that was sudden, violent, or by suicide. A loss you weren’t allowed to grieve openly. A death that left you with trauma on top of grief. If your grief feels frozen, or reminders of the person are unbearable, that is a sign you need more support, not less. I also offer trauma therapy in Houston, and the two kinds of work often overlap.
Many Houston clients come to me specifically after losing a parent. That page goes deeper on what that particular loss tends to bring up.
Grief counseling online, from home
Sessions happen by secure video, which matters more for grief than people expect. You can meet from the couch, keep the tissues close, and not have to pull yourself together in a parking lot afterward. I’m licensed across Texas and based in Houston. If you’re wondering how video sessions work, read about online therapy in Texas.
You can book a grief counseling session directly, or contact Laura with a question first. Costs are listed on the insurance and fees page.