Grief Therapists in Grand Rapids, MI

As a licensed Masters level social worker with over 20 years of mental health experience, I have developed insights and strategies that can support people of nearly any age as they adjust to the challenges and changes that come with life. I strive to create a safe space where people can feel supported and acknowledged. I have experience with a broad variety of clinical techniques which enables me to truly help people experience personal growth.

I approach therapy with a sense of curiosity and mindful intention. I honor the sacredness of the client-therapist relationship and invite you to explore your feelings in a safe, judgement-free environment. I believe therapy provides the ultimate venue for self- care and personal growth. I am passionate about utilizing creative techniques as a tool to healing and empowerment. I look forward to walking with you wherever you may be in your journey, encouraging you to listen to your inner wisdom, and working together to build the strengths and skills to live your best life.

Support, encouragement, and space to breathe. We all need these to get us through life. From the daily anxiety of tasks and relationships to deep trauma. It can feel suffocating. I would like to provide a safe place to heal and process. To hold onto hope when you are unable to have any. To lift you up in support of your goals for yourself and your relationships. I am ready to invest in you. My hope is for us to work together to identify what you need and to find ways to best meet those needs. I specialize in addressing depression, anxiety, relationship struggles, preparation for marriage, post-traumatic stress, and grief .

I am accepting limited new clients for appointment times (weekday evenings and weekends only). Are you going through a significant life event or change? Or are you ready to work through past distressing memories or traumatic events? Embarking on the therapeutic journey takes courage, as well as finding the right therapist. I specialize in helping those going through significant life events and discernment, individuals who experience depression, anxiety, grief , PTSD, as well as those who identify as LGBTQIA. So many presenting symptoms are actually trauma-related, and that is where healing can start.

I specialize in working with clients facing life stressors including anxiety, grief , PTSD, chronic medical illness, trauma, and depression. I believe therapy is a process and a journey. We will walk together on this journey and work to process thoughts, emotions and learn new ways of responding to life’s challenges. When we embrace our ability to feel and experience hard things, we learn self-love, empathy, and peace. I enjoy working with clients and developing a relationship by actively listening, advocating, and assisting in change through evidence based practices while providing a safe space for healing and growth.

Safety, trust and empathy is the foundation of our therapeutic relationship. These features eventually become part of the catalyst to your growth. As a psychodynamic psychotherapist, our work together entails deep conversation about your thoughts, feelings, experiences and life story. I lead with compassion, curiosity and deep respect. Never losing sight of the honor it is to walk alongside you on your journey. I enjoy working with people seeking to better understand themselves while struggling with; anxiety, trauma, life transitions, depression and relationship issues. I am particularly well versed in grief , loss , death and dying.

You need a space "to call your own" where you can process your joys & concerns, or hopes & fears. You need to be able to do this without being judged, or pressured to conform to a predetermined social standard. I provide counseling & psychotherapy to individuals & couples that is client-focused, culturally sensitive, and contextually relevant to you. Whether you are dealing with depression or anxiety, trauma, relationship difficulties, grief & loss , or poor self-worth, you will have your "own space" here. ALL are welcomed & affirmed in their unique personhood. With therapy, you can foster the courage to heal & live again.

The Holding Space Counseling and Wellness, LLC.

See VickiNelsonSmeby.com website. My clients set weekly goals to achieve their optimum mental health a little at a time. I highly recommend EMDR to desensitize strong emotions around adverse events and to build or rebuild self worth. We will make this an enjoyable process that you feel engaged in and look forward to. My clients amaze me with their determination and willingness to be vulnerable and to go the distance to grow, mature and experience full healing.

For over 30 years I have worked in West Michigan providing counseling, therapy, direction and supervision to adults and children. Each person's situation is unique and therefore requires a unique approach. In my counseling practice I emphasize building a trusting, safe, nonjudgmental and honest relationship with clients. Together we will identify issues, learn to understand them and find solutions to life's difficulties. I specialize in assisting individuals who are experiencing painful situations and need help managing life's most difficult events including depression, anxiety, loss , phobias, trauma, and chronic illness.

Life is full of changes, difficult times and sometimes crisis that can require some extra help navigating. You are in the right place exploring professionals that can help during those times in life. Finding the right therapist, where trusting rapport is built, is an investment in yourself and your mental health. With nearly 20 years of social work experience, I am confident that together we can navigate through a variety of life’s trials including dealing with a significant loss , adjusting to a difficult transition, working through complicated situations and relationships, and improving your mindset and self-esteem.

Sharon has been providing mental health services for over two decades as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, certified grief counselor and trauma specialist. Her experience also includes working with survivors of domestic violence, sexual abuse, and child abuse. Sharon's clinical expertise is working with those experiencing anxiety, depression, and individuals with disabilities. Sharon has been an advocate for individuals impacted by disabilities and their caregivers as a board member with Civitan of Lenawee and with the Hope Community Center.

I work with children, teens, adults, and families struggling with a variety of challenges. I have experience working with families and children pre and post-adoption. I have been trained as a Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) Practitioner specializing in supporting foster and adoptive families heal trauma through developing trust. Additionally, I have experience counseling individuals, families, and caregivers navigate terminal and chronic illnesses. I counsel caregivers and families through anticipatory grief as well as after the loss of a loved one. Trauma, anxiety, and depression are additional areas of focus.

Are you feeling stuck? Perhaps you're grieving a loss , feeling hopeless, wrestling with the effects of traumatic experiences, frozen by anxiety, or boxed in by shame. If this resonates with you, please know that you are not alone. Unraveling your story in the context of a therapeutic relationship can often be the experience needed to move forward. Being met right where you are by a safe, curious, and experienced therapist can restore hope, cultivate insight, heal wounds, build positive momentum, and lead to lasting transformation.