What Is Grief?

Grief is the natural emotional response to loss. If you grieve for someone or something, it means that it deeply mattered to you. It affects people differently—some feel sadness, others anger or numbness. You might cry often or not at all. Some people feel disoriented or disconnected from the world around them. All of these responses are normal.

Grief can show up in a wide range of experiences:

• Death of a loved one (partner, child, parent, friend)

• Loss of a pet

• Miscarriage or infertility

• End of a relationship or divorce

• Major life transitions (e.g., retirement, empty nesting)

• Loss of identity, health, or future plans

• Grief related to collective trauma or cultural loss

Whatever your experience, your grief is valid—and healing starts with giving it space to be felt, understood, and honored.

Types of Grief We Treat

At Awakenly, we work with individuals facing many forms of grief and loss, including:

• Anticipatory grief – grieving before a loss happens, such as with terminal illness

• Complicated grief – when grief feels prolonged, stuck, or unusually intense

• Disenfranchised grief – grief that isn’t recognized or validated by others (e.g., loss of a former partner or pet)

• Collective or community grief – grief experienced as part of a larger group or social trauma

• Ambiguous grief – grief without closure (e.g., missing persons, estranged family, dementia)

Grief doesn’t follow a timeline. It may come in waves, resurface unexpectedly, or feel numb for long periods. Our therapists are here to help you find meaning and stability in the midst of it all.

How Grief Affects the Mind and Body

Grief is more than an emotional state—it can impact every part of your life, including:

• Mood: sadness, irritability, anger, or guilt

• Thoughts: confusion, disbelief, or a loss of meaning

• Physical health: fatigue, appetite changes, aches, or immune suppression

• Behavior: social withdrawal, changes in sleep or routine

• Spirituality: questioning faith or feeling disconnected

Some people develop symptoms of depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress following a loss, particularly if the loss was sudden, traumatic, or complicated. Therapy can help you process your grief in a healthy, supported way—without rushing or suppressing it.

Our Integrative Approach to Grief Therapy

At Awakenly, we know that grief is as unique as the person experiencing it. That’s why our grief therapy is tailored to your personal story and healing style. We integrate several therapeutic modalities to meet you where you are, emotionally and somatically.

1. Somatic Therapy: Listening to the Body’s Grief

Grief often shows up in the body—tightness in the chest, heaviness in the limbs, chronic fatigue, or a sense of numbness. Somatic therapy helps you reconnect with your physical experience of grief and gently release tension and stored emotions.

Our therapists use techniques such as:

• Breathwork

• Grounding exercises

• Movement and postural awareness

• Nervous system regulation

Somatic therapy can help restore a sense of safety and presence in your body, especially when grief has caused dissociation, numbness, or overwhelm. It helps make space for healing that goes beyond words.

2. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Navigating Grief-Related Thoughts

Grief can distort how we see ourselves and the world. Thoughts like “I should be over this by now” or “It’s my fault” can keep us stuck. CBT helps you identify and reframe unhelpful thought patterns that may be complicating your grief.

In grief therapy, CBT may support you in:

• Challenging self-blame or guilt

• Working through intrusive thoughts

• Recognizing harmful patterns like avoidance or isolation

• Reconnecting with purpose and meaning

CBT offers structure and stability when emotions feel chaotic and helps you move through grief with more clarity and self-compassion.

3. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Managing Emotional Intensity

Grief can trigger intense emotions—anger, sadness, despair—that feel hard to tolerate. DBT provides practical tools to help you manage and regulate these feelings without shutting down or becoming overwhelmed.

DBT in grief therapy focuses on:

• Mindfulness – staying grounded in the present moment

• Distress tolerance – surviving waves of emotional pain without harmful coping

• Emotion regulation – identifying and soothing emotional responses

• Interpersonal effectiveness – maintaining or healing relationships during grief

If your grief has caused disruptions in your relationships, sleep, or emotional stability, DBT can offer the support and structure you need to navigate it.

4. Psychodynamic Therapy: Exploring Grief's Deeper Layers

Grief often brings up old wounds—unresolved relationships, childhood losses, or existential fears. Psychodynamic therapy allows space to explore these deeper layers of grief, helping you understand how past and present are connected.

In this process, you’ll work with your therapist to:

• Unpack the meaning of your loss

• Understand your relationship with the person or identity you lost

• Explore unconscious patterns in how you process grief

• Create space for mourning, remembering, and integrating

Psychodynamic therapy honors the complexity of grief and gives you room to feel your way through it—without needing to “fix” or “solve” it too quickly.

Who We Help

We work with adults and young adults facing loss of all kinds, including those who:

• Are grieving a loved one’s death

• Have experienced miscarriage or fertility loss

• Are navigating a breakup, divorce, or estrangement

• Are caregivers facing anticipatory grief

• Have lost part of their identity, health, or community

• Are grieving in marginalized or unsupported spaces

• Are experiencing grief and trauma together

At Awakenly, we affirm all experiences of grief, including those that feel invisible or misunderstood. Your pain is real, and you deserve support.

Why Choose Awakenly for Grief Therapy?

• Licensed, experienced therapists who specialize in grief, loss, and emotional healing

• Virtual sessions available in PA, NY, and AZ, so you can access care from anywhere

• Trauma-informed, identity-affirming therapy that honors your unique background

• An integrative approach that treats the mind, body, and soul

• Personalized support for any stage or type of grief

We don’t believe in rushing the grieving process. Instead, we create a space for you to be exactly where you are—and gently walk with you toward where you want to be.

Start Your Grief Healing Journey

Grief doesn’t follow a timeline, and it doesn’t mean you’re broken. With the right support, it is possible to grieve fully, remember deeply, and live meaningfully again.

Awakenly offers virtual grief therapy in Pennsylvania (PA), New York (NY), and Arizona (AZ)—accessible, flexible, and designed to meet you where you are.

Schedule your free consultation today to be matched with a therapist who understands the complexity of grief and is ready to support you through it.