What We Treat
Grief & Loss
If you've lost someone or something that mattered, and the world keeps moving like nothing happened, you're in the right place. Grief and loss are among the things we help with, and you don't have to be coping badly to deserve support with them.
In a crisis?
Call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), or call 911. This website is not monitored for emergencies.
Does this sound familiar?
Grief doesn't follow the script people expect, which can make it lonely on top of everything else.
- Some days you're fine, and then a song, a smell, or an empty chair undoes you without warning.
- You're doing everything you're supposed to do, and feeling almost nothing while you do it.
- People stopped asking how you are, and part of you is relieved and part of you is hurt.
- You catch yourself reaching for the phone to call someone who isn't there.
- You're grieving something other people don't treat as a loss — a relationship, a home, a version of your life you expected to have.
- You're short-tempered or foggy in ways that don't feel like you, and sleep isn't helping.
If some of this sounds like you, that's reason enough to reach out. You don't need to prove your loss is big enough first. Tell us what happened, in your own words, and we'll take it from there.
What grief is
Grief is what love and attachment do when the person, place, or future they were attached to is gone. It can show up as sadness, but also as anger, numbness, guilt, relief, exhaustion, or all of them in the same afternoon. None of that means you're grieving wrong. Grief isn't an illness, and it doesn't run on a schedule — there's no deadline you're missing and no right order to feel things in.
You also don't have to carry it by yourself. Therapy doesn't rush your grief or talk you out of it. It gives you a place where the loss can be as big as it actually is, with someone experienced beside you while you figure out how to live with it.
How we help with grief and loss
Loss lands differently in every family, so we meet it where it lands. Several of our therapists work with grief and loss, in the setting that fits:
Individual therapy
your own space to grieve, at your own pace, without managing anyone else's feelings while you do it.
Family therapy
when a loss belongs to the whole family and everyone is grieving it differently, coming in together can help you carry it together instead of apart.
Child therapy
kids grieve too, and it often comes out sideways, in behavior, play, or worries that don't mention the loss at all. Our therapists work with children in ways that fit how kids actually process hard things.
We take time to match you with a therapist who fits, including language.
Who you'll work with
Nabi Family Therapy is a group practice of experienced therapists across four California offices. Our team includes licensed therapists and supervised associate therapists, and children, teens, and whole families are who we work with most. Adults come to us in their own right, not as an add-on to someone else's care, and several of our therapists work with grief and loss.
What to expect
Grief takes enough of your energy. Starting therapy shouldn't take more of it.
- 1
Reach out.
Fill out our short contact form or call us. Tell us about why you're here, in your own words. "My mom died in the spring and I'm not okay" or "our family lost someone and we're all grieving differently" is plenty. Do you have a preferred therapist? You can tell us that too.
- 2
We coordinate for you.
A care coordinator, not a therapist, follows up to talk through therapist fit, language preferences, availability, and cost, including any insurance questions, before you commit to anything.
- 3
Meet your therapist.
A consultation is available first, so you can see whether the fit feels right.
- 4
Begin.
Early sessions are about your therapist getting to know you and your loss. The pace is set with you, not for you.
- Where: In person at our offices in Manhattan Beach, Arcadia, Irvine, and Burbank, California.
- Telehealth: Online sessions are available for clients who are physically in California or Oregon at the time of the session.
Questions
Common questions
Do I need therapy for grief, or is this just what grieving feels like?+
You don't have to decide that before you reach out. Grief is not an illness, and coming to therapy doesn't mean you're grieving wrong. It means you'd rather not carry it alone. If the loss is taking more from you than you have to give, that's reason enough.
It's been a long time since the loss. Is it too late to get help?+
No. Grief doesn't run on a clock, and it doesn't expire. People come to us months or years after a loss, sometimes because a new season of life brought it back. Whenever you arrive is a fine time to arrive.
Since the loss, I've had thoughts that scare me. Can I even say that in therapy?+
Yes. Grief can bring heavy and frightening thoughts, including not wanting to be here, and saying them out loud to a therapist is exactly the right place for them — you won't shock us, and you won't be judged. And if you are thinking about hurting yourself, or you don't feel safe right now, don't wait for an intake: call or text 988, or call 911, today.
My child lost someone. How do I know if they need help?+
You don't have to figure that out alone. Kids often grieve in ways that don't look like grieving — changes in behavior, sleep, school, or play. If something feels different about your child since the loss, that's worth a conversation. Your child's therapist will keep you involved in the way that fits your child's age.
Will I have to talk about the person I lost the whole time?+
Only as much as you choose. Some people need to tell the story; some need a break from telling it. Your therapist follows your lead — the pace and the subject stay yours.
How much does it cost?+
Cost depends on the therapist you're matched with and whether insurance applies. Our care coordinator will go over the numbers with you before your first session, so there are no surprises.
Grief can convince you that nobody could really understand what you've lost. You still don't have to carry it by yourself.
Reach out and tell us about why you're here — a few plain sentences are enough. Our care team will take it from there. This is a place to belong, even now.
Medically reviewed by Soo Jin Lee, LMFT (118366), Clinical Director at Nabi Family Therapy. Last reviewed August 26, 2026. This page is general information, not a diagnosis or a substitute for care from a licensed professional. If grief has you struggling, please reach out.