Grief Therapists in District of Columbia

Hello! I am a licensed clinical social worker in Washington, DC. I am a little older than most, in my early 60s, but am an open-minded optimist. I have over 20 years of experience working in Mental Health and Child Welfare settings so there aren’t too many issues that I haven’t dealt with. I have worked with couples, families, individuals, and children with a variety of issues to include physical and emotional trauma, grief, depression, anxiety, addiction, relationship challenges and life transitions.

Being a human in 2024 is incredibly difficult. I provide a comfortable and nonjudgmental space in which to safely explore your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. I can help you strengthen your relationship with yourself and the people who are important to you, develop more effective coping strategies and emotional flexibility, and learn how to better tolerate and manage big feelings. My goal as a therapist is to help you feel truly understood, help you to understand and accept yourself, and give you tools to move through the world in a more adaptive way.

I've been providing psychotherapy for over twenty years. I am passionate about this work and have helped many people change their lives for the better. I believe in a person's ability to make their life as full and rich as they want it to be. Therapy can help you get what you need and want in your relationships, work, and other areas of life. I am easy to talk to and bring a lot of warmth and caring to therapy. I sometimes use innovative approaches including walking in nature with clients, hypnotherapy, pet therapy, and writing/art therapy.

I am a licensed clinical social worker in the District of Columbia, and earned my Masters in Social Work with a clinical concentration from The Catholic National School of Social Sciences at The Catholic University of America. During my clinical work, I have worked with clients from diverse backgrounds and cultural groups, mostly in out-patient settings, with a variety of struggles including anxiety, depression, grief and loss, trauma, and PTSD. have expertise in working with sexual assault survivors, grief and trauma, and acculturation.

Life is sacred and challenging. Navigating problems on our own can be overwhelming and difficult. Counseling can be an important part of our journey to become the best version of ourselves in our relationships with others and ourselves. A kind and caring presence can help us begin to change and enter into a growth process. I approach clients with compassion, empathy, and kindness to work collaboratively on what you are going through.

Are you struggling with negative thoughts, losing interest in things? You are at a point where you have difficulties coping and getting back to your life. You may find yourself in a situation in which you experienced a personal loss such as a loved one, a job promotion, the stresses of being a family caregiver for a loved one. There's help to alleviate your situation.

Feeling overwhelmed, anxious, hopeless, or trapped by a past trauma? Curious about what it could mean for you to begin to feel more grounded and centered, less stuck? Therapy is a space to explore, name and learn from one's feelings and can be a tremendous gateway to healing and change. I aim to support clients in finding and believing in their strengths, listening to their emotions, creating healthy flexible boundaries and developing coping strategies. I specialize in grief and loss; trauma - including: abuse, neglect, PTSD; anxiety and depression. Together we co-create a space for self-awareness and self-compassion.

People seek psychotherapy feeling unhappy or helpless to bring about change in their life or fulfill their dreams. Patients are overcome with symptoms of depression, anxiety, eating disorders, substance abuse or other problems, which in reality are unconscious defenses, blocking repressed feelings about something that went wrong, often in childhood, which is not yet resolved. These defenses once were adaptive, by protecting and helping them survive, but are no longer effective. I help people work through their underlying grief and face their feelings (sadness, anger, disappointment, yearning, powerlessness) surrounding trauma or loss, enabling them to engage in more free, authentic, satisfying lives.

I identify as an ethicist; a Womanist who advocates and practices feminist ideals, cultural humility through continuous learning, bodily integrity, reproductive justice, sex work is work, pacifism by utilizing non-violent resistance techniques. I believe children have rights, whistleblowers are vital in society, I embrace LGBTQ+, Black Lives Matter is factual, and representation matters. I practice mindfulness with the philosophy of ‘margin to center’ action. I embody, advocate, and support activism in action and respect of human rights. Neither ever ends, even when it is inconvenient or uncomfortable. We must remain firmly resolved

I'm Jenn (they/them), a Brooklyn native with Bajan roots, who identifies as Queer. I am passionate about working with Black, LGBTQ+, and grieving communities. I believe one of the most important parts of therapy is the therapeutic relationship. I center my practice around the pillar that we are well-equipped with the things we need to heal and that therapy as a practice allows these things to surface and be used to our benefit.

My goal as a therapist is to help you find the best ways to navigate your needs in a safe space. I will help you to engage in and to incorporate self-care into your day to day life. Have you recently felt like your life was changed forever? Have you experienced a loss of a job or a loved one or are currently in crisis? Have you experienced trauma in your life or are you feeling lost or anxious?

As a therapist with extensive training in trauma, grief & loss, I will work with you to identify what you want to change, focusing our attention on early attachment relationships and how these may continue to impact you. Working from an IFS-informed perspective, I believe we all have resilience and strength, and access to our inner selves. Therapy works best when we feel safe: my primary goal is to create a safe and compassionate space with you in our work together. We will focus on ways to support you in making changes you desire, and creating a mindful and safe place for change to begin.

I specialize in therapy for individuals and couples struggling with emotional, thought-based, and relational problems and those facing major life transitions, grief and trauma. I provide an engaged, safe and compassionate space where you can tell your story and explore how thoughts and past experiences impact the way you feel, behave, relate to others and manage life's challenges. I then assist you in finding healthy alternatives and an empowered path forward.

“Life is slippery. Here, take my hand." Jackson Brown - In times of extraordinary stress, when old issues may be exacerbated, people need a place to feel heard and understood. They may be coping with the loss of a loved one, difficulty with their relationships, the loss of a job, or the isolation and fear of living through a pandemic. As a therapist, I lend an empathic ear and help clients explore and re-wire old issues, so they can become more resilient.

Our connections with ourselves, others, and our communities can bring tremendous joy, meaning, and fulfillment. In contrast, experiences of disconnection and loss can elicit profound anguish. A crucial step toward relief and enduring growth in psychotherapy starts with an affirming connection with your therapist. Beyond the reasons that bring you in, I am committed to listening to your life story and learning about you as a whole, imperfect person who deserves unconditional care and respect. From there, we can identify opportunities to relate to yourself and others in new ways.

Compassionate therapy has the power to help people reflect, grow, and change. Using a warm and engaging approach, I collaborate with clients to develop treatment strategies that work based on research-based techniques. I specialize in working with clients struggling with relationship issues, OCD, grief and loss, and difficult life transitions, including changes in roles or identity.

I'm a psychotherapist with over 20 years of experience helping individuals in DC navigate grief, depression, anxiety, and trauma. Using a blend of techniques with a strong emphasis on mindfulness to foster self-compassion and emotional well-being, I genuinely love helping clients build a lifestyle that promotes a life of mental well-being. I also has a deep understanding of military families and veterans, having served them for 12 years. I have a warm and conversational approach, which creates a safe space for healing. In-person (Dupont) and telehealth sessions available.

I specialize in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a mindfulness-based behavior therapy that focuses on helping clients live fulfilling and meaningful lives even with the struggles of everyday life. I offer a collaborative approach that helps to guide clients toward their goals through fostering insight and acceptance while also reducing avoidance behaviors. I believe that every person has a natural internal strength that I seek to foster through empowerment. My ultimate goal is to help clients drop the struggle and live a valued life so they can manage the inevitable ups and downs of the human experience on their own.

Adult clients come to me when feeling stuck, anxious or depressed. Others are coping with trauma, loss, relationship issues, parenting struggles, or a major life change. Using a variety of approaches, I help clients gain insight and self-acceptance, to navigate life transitions from a position of strength, to grow in relationships, and to make meaning from loss. Therapy is a wonderful form of self-care. Whether you are in crisis or just feeling stuck, I strive to be an honest, accepting, and active partner in your journey to greater fulfillment.