So… what is Grief and Trauma Counseling?
Illness, death, other types of loss, and trauma are deeply human experiences that most people face at some stage of life. While many people navigate these experiences with the support of trusted loved ones or communities, others find that professional help offers needed space, tools, and guidance. Counseling can be especially helpful for those facing complicated grief after multiple losses or difficult relationships, the strain of long-term illness, the overwhelming impact of a sudden or traumatic death, or the emotional and physical toll of a traumatic event.
Counseling provides a place to explore new ways of coping, adjust to changes in relationships, and make sense of life after loss or trauma. Our trained, experienced clinicians walk alongside clients of all ages as they navigate a world that may feel unfamiliar or changed.
Grief and trauma counseling is our specialty, with decades of experience working with people through life’s hardest experiences. We know that we cannot “take away” or “fix” someone’s pain; what we can offer is a safe, confidential space to move through it. Many of our therapists have lived experiences with grief and trauma themselves; all are skilled at sitting with difficult emotions without judgment or fear.
We understand that grief and trauma affect people in different ways. Some may feel sadness, irritability, confusion, or difficulty concentrating. Others may experience physical symptoms or feel overwhelmed by day-to-day tasks. These responses are common—and each person’s experience is individual. Even members of the same family grieving the same loss may react differently.
Our depth of experience allows us to support children, teens, adults, and families through these challenging times and help them move toward healing in their own way and at their own pace.
Through our counseling program, we offer individual and group services. Learn about therapy types below.
Individual Services
During individual counseling, a client meets one-on-one with their therapist. Together, you’ll identify coping skills that work for you, problem solve what gets in the way of the goals you have for your healing, and process how your history is impacting you today.
Often people prefer individual services if they have a complex history of trauma and/or loss, if they find their symptoms are making it difficult for them to function, or if they want space to work through the details of their grief or trauma.
Group Services
In group counseling, you and other people with similar shared experiences will meet with a therapist to learn coping skills, get more information about grief and trauma, and explore how to move forward in your healing.
People often prefer group services if they feel isolated, if they are looking to connect with others with similar experiences, or if they are more drawn to learning about grief and trauma rather than processing their own histories in depth. Group can be a supportive space where people with all personality types discover that their feelings and reactions are more common than they may think.
A lot of our clients prefer one service or the other, but plenty benefit from doing both! If you’re interested but aren’t sure what service you want, we recommend you speak to one of our Intake Clinicians.
Are there other kinds of therapy?
Yes, the Wendt Center also serves children, teens, and families through several specialized programs. These include our Resilient Scholars School-Based and Family-Based programs, and programs for grieving children and families such as Camp Forget-Me-Not/Camp Erin DC, Family Workshops, and the Voices of Now Program.
We also try to offer Workshops for Adults throughout the year.
These programs can be wonderful options on their own or as a supplement to our therapy services. If you’re interested in learning more, we encourage you to explore those pages.