Marin & San Francisco Psychologist Providing Bereavement Counseling. First Session Free.

Help for the bereaved, including those coping with stages of grief, mental health effects of unresolved bereavement, including depression, anxiety, and guilt; and spiritual and religious consequences, such as lost faith. Experienced helping widows, widowers, grief-stricken parents, people in recovery with unresolved grief and loss, (including 12-step participants), people who've lost pets, and those mourning other losses, like career, health and relationships.

1. Home
2. Individual Psychotherapy
3. Marriage and Couples Therapy
4. Grief and Loss
5. Creativity and Writer's Block
6. Spiritual and Religious Issues
7. How I Work
8. Theoretical Orientation
9. Writing and Resources
   1. Getting the Most Out of Psychotherapy
   2. The Transformative Power of Dreams
   3. My Dissertation on Jung's Kundalini Seminar
10. My Background
11. Office Directions
12. Fees and Insurance

 

No charge for initial therapy consult, which is arranged through a telephone conversation. Reasonable, sliding scale fees.

Phone: 415.271.2350

Note: Given the quirkiness of cell phones and electronic communications, your phone number may not come through on my voicemail. If I don't call you back, please try again or request a call by e-mail. I check voice and e-mail messages daily and respond reliably.

 

Office visits only. Why I don't offer online or phone therapy.

San Francisco Office & Mailing Address

582 Market St., Suite 715, San Francisco, CA 94104

 

Marin County Office

100 Tamal Plaza, Suite 160, Corte Madera, CA 94925

For directions, see Locations.

 

 

 

Grief and Loss

People often feel traumatized, disoriented or immobilized after a major loss. I help you cope with the dark territory of bereavement with education, support and problem-solving, so you can:

• Get re-oriented after a major loss
• Recognize the stages of grief* to avoid compounding the pain. These stages go by many names, including shock, denial, anger, bargaining, depression, resolution, and acceptance
• Reconcile shame, guilt, remorse, or other difficult feelings
• Have a safe place for coping with intense feelings
• Get help managing your life while grieving, including relationship or mental health issues made worse by loss

I help the bereaved for a variety of concerns, including:

Losing a Loved One

• Death or other loss of a family member, including estrangement
• Becoming a widow or widower after many years of marriage
• Heartbreak from losing a romantic relationship
• Death of a pet. Some losses are recognized by everyone as overwhelming. Other losses may not bring enough support for the grief-stricken person. A typical loss of that kind is the death of a pet, which some experience with the intensity of losing a family member.

Lost or Disrupted Career

• Job loss or career disruption
• Financial loss
• Damaged reputation

Personal Losses

• Changes in physical or mental health or bodily function
• Effects of aging on appearance and abilities
• Realizing that a cherished dream will never be fulfilled
• Losses due to drug abuse or addiction relapse, including loss of the emotional escape provided by addictions (may include referral to residential treatment, 12-step program and/or physician)

Relationship Issues

• Loved ones failing to provide needed support
• Family members telling you to "get over it" before you're ready or otherwise telling you how you "should" react
• Friends leaving you isolated or showing discomfort in conversation

Consequences

• Lifestyle changes, such as the need to move out of your home, get help for chores or consider an assisted living facility
• Mental health issues triggered by loss, such as depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety or isolation (may include referral to physician and other resources)
• Spiritual or religious consequences, such as anger at God, damaged or lost faith, unanswered questions or prayers, superstitions and fears
• Damaged self-esteem
• Difficulty meeting job or family responsibilities

 

The list of issues above is by no means complete but is provided to give you a sense of what is often seen by a psychotherapist. One of my goals here is to let you know that you're not alone, even if you're suffering from a loss that seems unusual. There are many resources in the community for coping with grief and loss.

If your issue is one I haven’t covered, call me at 415.271.2350 to discuss its possible treatment and resolution. There’s no charge for the phone call or for an initial office visit, if we decide to meet. All initial appointments are arranged through a brief phone call so I can get a general sense of the issues you're addressing. I also ask questions to make sure that your needs are likely to fit within my scope of practice (areas of training and expertise). If those issues are outside my scope of practice, instead of meeting, I try to offer referrals to therapists or community resources with the appropriate specialization. 24-hour notice is required to reschedule the no-charge visit once only. I welcome people of any race, religion, or sexual preference. Select this link to learn more about fees and third-party payment.

 

*Two of the classic texts for understanding what the bereaved typically experience, including stages of grief, are listed below. There are also a number of self-help books for coping with loss, which are worth reviewing at your local bookseller.

• Bowlby, J. (1980). Attachment and loss, Vol. III: Sadness and depression. New York: Basic Books.
• Kubler-Ross, E. (1969). On death and dying: What the dying have to teach doctors, nurses, clergy, and their own families. New York: Touchstone Books.