Discover how starting grief & loss counseling can support your own journey toward a happier, more fulfilling life.
8 therapists available in Pittsburgh
I have dedicated my career development towards understanding and helping my clients....
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I have dedicated my career development towards understanding and helping my clients.
Brenda Slagle is a Nationally Board Certified Counselor (NCC) and Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Pennsylvania with over 6 years of experience. Brenda specializes in treating clients with complex PTSD, major depression, panic disorder, borderline personality disorder, schizophrenia, addiction, social anxiety, bipolar, and others.
She completed her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh and her Master's degree in Professional Counseling from Carlow University. Brenda strives to create a non-judgmental space to examine the past to inform how patterns have developed. She uses techniques from cognitive behavioral (CBT) and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), motivational interviewing, solution-focused therapy (SFT), and strengths-based approaches.
Brenda will provide genuine empathy and support while you work together to find one's purpose and authentic self. Team up with her to start managing and mitigating your mental health conditions and concerns. Brenda looks forward to sharing her experience and expertise with you—one session at a time.
Education and training
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As a therapist, I understand that it can be hard to open up to someone, but I want therapy to feel like getting a cup of coffee wi...
As a therapist, I understand that it can be hard to open up to someone, but I want therapy to feel like getting a cup of coffee with a friend.
Rachel Hill is a Licensed Associate Professional Counselor, who is passionate about working with children, adolescents, and adults to help them become the best version of themselves. She has experience working with a wide range of mental health issues and daily life stressors. These experiences include but are not limited to depression, anxiety, grief, life transitions, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anger, and ADHD. Rachel specializes in depression, anxiety, life transitions, ADHD, anger, grief, and stress.
Rachel completed her Master of Counseling at Geneva College. Rachel utilizes multiple treatment approaches including cognitive behavioral therapy. She also uses a client-centered approach and views the person as a whole rather than just many parts.
Rachel understands that life is stressful and brings a lot of complicated feelings. She is confident that therapy can help an individual cope with these stressors. Rachel knows that therapy can be a stressful event, but it doesn’t always have to feel like that. If you’re ready to be a better version of yourself, schedule an appointment with her today!
As a queer-identified therapist, with years of experience helping people achieve their goals and find their identities with pride,...
As a queer-identified therapist, with years of experience helping people achieve their goals and find their identities with pride, I am looking forward to the opportunity to help you find a connection with yourself and help you achieve your goals!
Abi Watterson is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with over 10 years of experience. Abi is an advocate and passionate about helping people reach their goals, connect with themselves and identify and work towards the lives they want to be living. Abi specializes in LGBTQIQA+ issues, gender development and expression, helping clients maintain recovery from substances while working through mental health trauma and coping strategies, and has experience in treating depression, anxiety and diagnosis with psychosis.
Abi completed their Master's degree in Counseling at Slippery Rock University. Abi is passionate about identity and equality for all. They utilize multiple treatment approaches to ensure a warm and inviting personality and capable treatment for a variety of concerns.
Abi knows the journey can be tough, but is confident that there is a path forward and a healthy way through the struggles you are facing, and is ready to face those challenges with you together. They can't wait to hear about the exciting changes you want to make. Schedule your session today.
I believe in having real conversations, working together, and helping you create a life that feels good inside and out....
I believe in having real conversations, working together, and helping you create a life that feels good inside and out.
Shannon Brown is a Licensed Professional Counselor with 13 years of experience supporting individuals of all ages, including children, adults, veterans, and those navigating mental health crises. Their warm, collaborative, and goal-focused approach helps clients explore challenges, build on strengths, and move toward more manageable and fulfilling lives. Shannon meets clients where they are and walks alongside them toward meaningful change.
Shannon holds a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Gannon University and has extensive experience in crisis care. They tailor each session to client needs, offering a grounded, collaborative space that supports personal growth, emotional resilience, and healing.
Life can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to navigate it alone. Shannon provides a safe, nonjudgmental space where you can feel understood, be your authentic self, and begin to make sense of what’s going on. If you’re ready to take the first step, Shannon is here to support you with care and compassion.
Working with children and adolescents for 10+ years, I understand various aspects of behavioral issues that individuals tend to de...
Working with children and adolescents for 10+ years, I understand various aspects of behavioral issues that individuals tend to deal with.
Cody McConnell is a Licensed Practicing Mental Health Counselor who has worked with children and adolescents for over 10 years, most of his experience being with individuals who struggle with behavioral issues in the home and community. He has worked in multiple levels of care that include residential, family-based, school-based, mobile therapy, and outpatient services. Cody has developed skills for providing therapeutic care for individuals seeking help with ADHD, anxiety, depression, behavioral issues, and LGBTQ+ concerns.
Cody utilizes cognitive, strength-based, research-based interventions to provide unique support for each individual’s needs. He also utilizes creative approaches to foster a safe environment and promote positive engagement throughout treatment.
Working with children and adolescents for 10+ years, Cody understands various aspects of behavioral issues that individuals tend to deal with. He strives to create a safe and non-judgemental environment in order to develop a positive therapeutic relationship with you and assist you in obtaining your individual life goals.
As a conscientious and understanding therapist with varied life experience, I am uniquely suited to address various client needs a...
As a conscientious and understanding therapist with varied life experience, I am uniquely suited to address various client needs and struggles
Michael Moriarty is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Pennsylvania who has over 8 years of experience working with adults and adolescents on a wide range of mental health struggles relating to anxiety, depression, self-esteem, substance abuse, relationship difficulties, and grief and trauma-related issues. His area of specialty is working with drug and alcohol addictions. He approaches therapy from a client-centered, collaborative perspective where he works alongside clients as they navigate their issues and gain greater insight into their own capacity for growth. He is also a nationally certified counselor.
Michael holds Master's degrees in Science Education from Lehman College and in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Duquesne University. He uses cognitive behavioral and trauma-informed approaches to assist clients in working through problem areas and gaining an increased capacity for life satisfaction.
Michael has a variety of personal life experiences that make him well suited to address his clients needs. He understands the complexity of human psychology and the fundamental need for personal connection that individuals hold and this enables him to provide a personal and unique perspective to assist clients with their struggles.
I want to understand you. We can only improve ourselves and our relationships after we share understanding of ourselves and others...
I want to understand you. We can only improve ourselves and our relationships after we share understanding of ourselves and others.
Debra Cooke is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who specializes in treating life transitions, anger, self-esteem, parenting issues, and stress in all ages. Debra has 5 years of experience in the mental health field. She has worked with a variety of people with different types of trauma, and all have had the same needs: Everyone needs support and drive when they want to make positive changes, and Debra wants to support and push her clients as needed to help them improve their quality of life.
Debra completed her Master of Arts (MA) in Sociology from West Virginia University and her Master of Education (M.Ed) in School Counseling at California University of Pennsylvania and West Virginia University.
Debra likes to take a holistic approach and explore both internal and external factors that affect your overall health and wellbeing. She will create a personalized treatment plan that meets your specific needs, utilizing cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), applied behavioral analysis (ABA), and positive psychology. Debra knows what it's like to feel alone, and she knows how relieving it is to find someone who actually understands and gives time and space to learn, think and grow. Let her be there for you.
Holly Blass is Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who works with her clients by meeting them at their pace and need level to ac...
Holly Blass is Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who works with her clients by meeting them at their pace and need level to achieve their personal goals, decrease negative symptoms, improve interpersonal relationships, and increase quality of life. Holly has 7 years of experience in the mental health field.
Holly completed her Master of Arts (MA) in Couples, Marriage and Family Therapy at Kutztown University. She utilizes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), trauma focused CBT, ecosystemic structural family therapy, and techniques developed by the Gottman Institute. Holly incorporates a trauma informed approach to help facilitate a feeling of safety, trust, and build a strong therapeutic alliance with each of her clients.
Holly works to help her clients feel empowered, even in their vulnerability, and help them regain control over their own narrative to make lasting positive change. She acknowledges the possible hesitation behind initiating and maintaining change, and works to understand her clients and meet them with flexibility.
You deserve dedicated time with a mental health professional — it can be life-changing.
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My go -to approach for helping people with grief and loss is to validate their feelings whatever they are and explain that grief can look different than people expect. Grief is very personal and no one should be afraid of grieving the wrong way. I provide psychoeducation on the grief process and explain that we don't necessarily stop grieving but it changes over time. Grief is what you need it to be. My style is eclectic so I prefer to adapt my methods to meet their needs and this changes as therapy progresses. This allows for continued progress as the client's needs change.
These are some of the tools or coping skills that I teach for grief and loss:
I know a client is making meaningful progress when they report using skills that they learned in therapy to help them process their grief and improve daily functioning. Clients often report they are making progress when they start to feel more like themselves again.
Clients can supplement their time in grief counseling with reading articles or books to increase their knowledge and understanding. I often make suggestions or send links to articles that are specific to their needs or concerns. If you find information on your own it is always a good idea to ask your therapist to confirm that the information is accurate especially for information found on social media or online videos.
To prepare for your first grief and loss counseling session, you can: Make a list of questions and/or concerns. Bring a list of any medications that you are taking, prescription, OTC and supplements. Have a list of prior mental health treatments with dates and names if possible. But most of all be kind to yourself and allow yourself to be open to the idea exploring your thoughts and emotions.
Grief and loss counseling helps people grieve difficult losses including the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, or the end of a relationship. It helps people navigate their grief process and eventually accept, understand, and move forward from their loss. Thriveworks grief therapists in Pittsburgh, PA have specific experience, training, and skills that enable them to best support grieving individuals.
Grief and loss counseling isn’t one-size-fits-all, but it involves sharing about your loss and then working with your counselor to acknowledge and accept your new reality in its wake. Your provider at Thriveworks in Pittsburgh, PA will design your treatment plan around your unique needs and goals for therapy, applying the counseling techniques that best support them.
If you have recently experienced an event like the death of a loved one, a breakup or divorce, the loss of a job, or another major life change, then you may want to seek grief and loss counseling. Grief can be caused by many experiences and events, so if you feel that you are having trouble moving on from a certain event or find that it is still impacting your life and functioning, grief and loss counseling can help you process it more effectively so that you can move on and once again find fulfillment and satisfaction in your life.
There are many counseling theories for treating grief, one of the most frequently used being the dual process model of grief which helps people acknowledge who or what they’ve lost through rumination while also adjusting to the new roles and identities that this loss has now placed on them. There are also many commonly used therapy approaches used in grief and loss counseling, including Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and traumatic grief therapy.
Grief & loss counseling at Thriveworks is conducted both in person and online by video. We encourage you to choose the option that works best for you.
For many, grief and loss counseling lasts for about 6 months. For others, it may last shorter or longer, depending on the severity of their loss and their grief.
Includes individual, couples, child/ teen, & family therapy
Includes reducing symptoms with medication & management
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