Grief Therapy in Sherman Oaks

Grief Therapy in Sherman Oaks to Provide Support Through Loss and Healing

Losing someone or something important to you can feel overwhelming, isolating, and even surreal. Grief isn’t just sadness, it can bring waves of emotions like anger, guilt, confusion, or even numbness. You might feel stuck, unable to move forward, or unsure how to navigate life without the person, relationship, or sense of identity you’ve lost. The truth is, there’s no “right” way to grieve, and healing doesn’t follow a set timeline.

No matter where you are in your grieving process, you don’t have to go through it alone. Grief therapy in Sherman Oaks provides a safe, compassionate space where you can process your emotions, make sense of your loss, and find a way to carry it with you while continuing to live a meaningful life. Our grief counselors in Sherman Oaks offer a caring space and a safe environment where you can talk openly, explore your feelings, and receive support. We are here to listen, free of judgement and full of curiosity and compassion. Your pain, sorrow and tears are not a burden to the therapists at Lasker and Associates. We feel honored to be be trusted to walk with you along the road to healing. Whether you prefer in person sessions in Sherman Oaks, or virtual Grief Therapy in California, our treatment options are designed to help you feel connected and supported by a compassionate community.

Signs and Symptoms of Grief

Grief affects everyone differently, but it can show up in a variety of ways, including emotional, physical, and behavioral symptoms. Recognizing these signs can help you better understand your experience and seek the support you need. Grief can also trigger mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety, and trauma responses, and may impact your family dynamics and relationships.

Emotional Symptoms

• Sadness and longing – Feeling an overwhelming sense of loss or yearning for what’s gone.
• Guilt or regret – Wishing you had done or said something differently, or feeling guilty for continuing with daily life.
• Anger or irritability – Feeling frustrated, resentful, or even angry at the loss, yourself, or others.
• Numbness or detachment – Struggling to feel emotions at all, feeling disconnected from life.
• Anxiety or fear – Worrying about the future, feeling uncertain about how to move forward.
• Relief – Feeling relief, especially after living through a long illness or a difficult relationship, which can bring its own mix of emotions.

Physical Symptoms

• Fatigue or exhaustion – Feeling constantly drained, even with rest.
• Changes in sleep patterns – Difficulty sleeping, frequent waking, or oversleeping.
• Appetite changes – Eating more or less than usual, experiencing nausea or digestive issues.
• Aches and pains – Tension headaches, muscle pain, or a heavy feeling in the chest.
• Weakened immune system – More frequent colds or illnesses due to stress.

Behavioral Symptoms

• Withdrawing from others – Avoiding social situations, struggling to ask for support.
• Difficulty concentrating – Finding it hard to focus at work, school, or daily tasks.
• Increased irritability – Feeling more short-tempered or reactive.
• Engaging in avoidance behaviors – Staying overly busy or distracting yourself to avoid feeling grief.
• Seeking reminders or avoiding them – Either constantly looking for reminders of your loss or avoiding anything that brings up memories.

These responses are all normal parts of the grieving process, and they can come and go in waves. If grief feels overwhelming or is interfering with your daily life, grief counseling in Sherman Oaks can provide guidance, comfort, and support.

How Grief Therapy in Sherman Oaks Can Help

In our work together, we’ll focus on:

• Understanding and honoring your grief – Exploring how your loss has affected you emotionally, mentally, and physically. Talking with a grief counselor gives you the time and space to share everything that you are experiencing without feeling that you are burdening another. Our Grief Counselors have the skills, strength and compassion to sit with you and your grief for as long as you need.
• Processing difficult emotions – Making space for feelings of sadness, anger, guilt, or even relief, without judgment. Holding grief inside only causes the pain to grow. By sitting with a Grief Counselor, you are able to safely let the feelings out, cry it out and find relief from the pain and suffering you may be feeling.
• Coping with daily life – Learning how to manage responsibilities and relationships while carrying grief. In Grief Therapy, you will gain the tools and motivation to reenter your life. You will learn to live your life again with the grief safely beside you but not in the drivers seat. We don’t get over the loss, we learn to live with it.
• Keeping connections alive – Finding ways to honor and remember what you’ve lost in a way that brings comfort. Rituals and traditions often bring a sense of normalcy and comfort throughout the life span but can also play an important role in the grieving process. You family’s rituals may look different now and may have changed due to the loss of a loved one. By creating new traditions or  adapting the existing rituals you will create a sense connection that will honor your loss in a way that brings comfort and healing.
• Rebuilding meaning and purpose – When you’re ready, discovering what healing looks like for you. Your life will look and feel different. There is no doubt about that. But that doesn’t mean it won’t feel good again and have the purpose it once had for you. You may even find that the loss that you have suffered brings a new sense of meaning and purpose. Following your lead, we will discover what this new phase of life looks like for you.

Healing doesn’t mean forgetting—it means learning how to move forward with your grief in a way that feels right for you. Loss changes us, but it doesn’t mean we have to go through it alone.

Whenever you’re ready, we’re here to support you—at your own pace, in your own way.