Grief and Loss Counseling in Ridgefield Park, NJ.

Our credentialed music therapists tailor sessions to each individual, utilizing personalized music exercises and interventions to address each person's unique experiences of loss or trauma. Involvement in music addresses trauma in two ways: music reaches us on an emotional level to help with coping, as well as on a neurological level to address and heal areas of the brain that are affected when trauma or loss are experienced. Our music therapists work with each client using musical elements like songwriting, processing, and guided imagery to help clients find their own voice and learn new coping skills to help manage trauma of any severity.

The way that a person has learned to protect themself self from a traumatic event develops into a part of their character in adult life. Our clinicians are trained to help you understand all of your parts and show you that the scary experience is over. We help you truly feel that you got through it and you can protect yourself if you need to! With this approach, we invite the wise parts of you to care deeply for the parts of you who are hurting. You have the power to regain control over your life, move forward, and heal.

If you have lost someone close to you through death, relocation or the end of a relationship, and feel isolated and lonely, it takes time and support to gently move forward in life. If you are shy or feel anxiety in social situations it can be hard to reach out for help and create the supportive relationships you need. I can help you move forward, gain a new sense of self worth, and begin to create meaningful nurturing social connections.

Grief is about loss and the threat of loss. The stronger the bond between us and the person we have lost, the more we will hurt both physically and emotionally. When we are torn from a family member or friend, a part of us dies as well. Our natural need for attachment gets severed, often bringing the return of childhood fears. The world feels like a more dangerous place. As a result, we may feel out of control. We ache to have the loved person back. We know in the rational part of our minds that the person is not coming back, but it also seems impossible to let him go. We will remain emotionally conflicted until we can release our loved ones. Because letting go is so difficult, we must do it slow....

Are you grieving over the death of a child, partner, spouse, parent or grandparent? Are you going through a painful loss such as a divorce or end of a relationship? Grief counseling may help you. We all experience, expresses and deal with loss in different ways. If your grief is making it hard to function, grief counseling may help. Maplewood Counseling therapist Debra Feinberg, LCSW provides individual grief counseling in a compassionate and warm environment. She helps men and women with the different emotional reactions to grief and trauma such as shock, anger and deep sadness.

Grief counseling helps people cope with grief and mourning following the loss of a loved one or due to major life changes that trigger feelings of grief (i.e. job loss or divorce). It provides a space for individuals to work through and process the complex emotions surrounding loss. Healthy grieving results in remembering the loss with a newfound sense of peace, rather than searing pain.

The loss of an important person, can be a terrible shock. I help you with moving through the process of grieving, including issues of survivor guilt, anxiety and depression that may arise after a loss, whether it be loss of a person, job, or pet. When grief feels overwhelming, I can provide the support needed to find meaning in the past, and hope for the future.

In my approach to grief and loss therapy, I provide a compassionate and understanding space where clients can process their emotions at their own pace. Grieving is a deeply personal experience, and I focus on helping individuals navigate the complex feelings of sadness, anger, and confusion that often accompany loss. Through tailored therapeutic techniques, I assist clients in finding meaning, honoring their memories, and rebuilding their lives. My goal is to foster healing, resilience, and a sense of peace during this difficult journey.

We all experience loss at one point in our lives, but that doesn’t make it easier. Whether you’ve experienced the loss of a loved one, a relationship, a job, or something else meaningful to you, loss can leave us feeling alone, depressed, confused, and empty. I have extensive experience working with children and adults who have experienced loss and complicated grief. I provide a safe, gentle, and non judgemental environment and use a mix of trauma focused cognitive behavioral and insight oriented interventions. Through our work together you will begin to process your grief experience, learn coping skills to get you through the day, honor what you have lost, and to ultimately heal.

Dealing with grief and loss is thought by most people to be life’s greatest challenge. Whether it be loss of a partner, child, friend, or other important person in one’s life, it is universally a sad and tremendously challenging part of the human experience. I have worked with people who have experienced losses of all types throughout the lifecycle, and helped them to understand the compendium of complex feelings and challenging situations that accompany grieving. Although in the midst of grief, there is often a sense of despair, I have helped hundreds of people resolve grief, and move on with their lives.

Grief and loss is, unfortunately, a normal part of living. There is no single "correct" way to grieve: different cultures and even individuals from the same culture grieve differently. The only consistent feature is that grief takes time. The most effective thing anyone can do for someone grieving is to be there—to listen, to empathize, to walk along with the grief. There is no "fixing" grief. But counseling can help prevent normal grief from developing into major depression or other mental health conditions.

Grief is a natural response to a loss, and loss can come in many forms: loss of a relationship, friendship, health, job, financial stability, safety; death of a loved one or even a pet; or a loved one’s serious illness. It is normal to feel sad, numb, angry, even guilty, following a loss, but these feelings should become less intense over time. In therapy, together we can explore if the pain and feelings surrounding your loss are so constant and severe that they keep you from resuming your life, if you feel “stuck” in an intense state of morning and how to overcome and learn to live again.

In grief therapy, we create a safe space to explore emotions, memories, and the impact of loss. Through compassionate listening and validation, we honor the unique journey of grief. Together, we identify coping strategies and self-care practices to navigate the ups and downs. I integrate techniques such as mindfulness, narrative therapy, and expressive arts to help process emotions and find meaning in the loss. While grief may feel overwhelming, therapy offers support and guidance to gradually integrate the loss into your life, fostering healing and resilience. You're not alone in this journey; I'm here to walk alongside you every step of the way.