About Me
Courageous Mourning emerged from both professional experience and my own deeply personal loss. My grief journey began when my husband died suddenly from an undetected heart condition—just after the birth of our second child. That experience led me on a path of learning, healing, and supporting others through their own grief.
I bring over 20 years of experience as a licensed professional counselor (LPC) and school psychologist specializing in grief across the lifespan. I’ve trained with the Center for Loss and Life Transition and I’m the author of The Nature of Grief workbook. Through professional practice and my own grief, I’ve come to understand that grief is a natural, human response to loss, and that we need safety and permission to mourn in ways that are authentic to who we are. In our culture, we are often rushed to “move on,” seek “closure,” or “stay busy”, yet these pressures can interrupt the healing we desperately need.
At Courageous Mourning, I offer compassionate, steady support for those navigating grief. Perhaps you’ve lost someone or something precious to you, or perhaps you’re suffering from a more ambiguous sense of loss. You’re searching for something—help, information, some measure of comfort or connection. Maybe you don’t know what you’re looking for, but the instinct to search is stirring you. I am here to walk with you and help you find ways to mourn and heal. Your grief will never go away, but with care and practice, its edges can soften. Together, we’ll discover which practices will best support you in your grieving process.
Why work with me?
First, I am so glad you are asking this question! Not all grief therapists are the same. I was shocked when I got to graduate school and there were ZERO courses about grief. In fact, grief was rarely mentioned during the three years of intense study. So why work with me? Because by the time I entered graduate school, I had already spent a decade devoted to the study and practice of helping the bereaved after I lost my beloved husband. Now I bring my professional training and personal experience to my work as a therapist.
There is no finish line for grief but that doesn’t mean we have to stay stuck. Two things are true: We can grieve even as we learn to live and grow and move forward with our lives.
As a therapist, I will work with you to witness and discern your unique experience of loss. You are the expert on your experiences and your life. I am here to listen, learn about you and your loved one, and reflect your wisdom, courage, and capacity to grow. Along the way, I will support you with my years of training and experience.
What I hope you will experience in our work together
Compassion from me, as well as from yourself
Encouragement as you find your way forward
Practical tools like mindfulness, writing for healing, somatics, and trauma-informed practices to help you with challenging emotions
Companionship on your path with grief. We need others in our healing. Having a trusted grief therapist can make all the difference.
A return to experiencing joy in your life again. Joy may feel far away right now, but I am here to help you rediscover joy in your life—even the faintest glimmers. Humans are built to experience many truths at once. It is possible to live with grief and experience joy at the same time.
Knowledge and understanding. You will learn about grief and how to process and experience your emotions.
A renewed depth of connection to yourself.