Offered in-person & online

Our therapists offer grief & loss counseling in Columbia, MD

Start in-person or online sessions with a provider you can trust. We accept most major insurances. Book online or by giving us a call

Find a provider Call (410) 724-1137

All Columbia services

Services

Individual therapy Career counseling Child/teen therapy Couples therapy Family therapy Marriage counseling Online therapy Psychiatry/medication
Counseling approaches & specialties

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) Addiction ADHD therapy Anger management therapy Anxiety & depression counseling Anxiety therapy Breakup therapy Christian counseling Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) Depression counseling Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) Domestic violence therapy Eating disorders EMDR therapy Emotional abuse counseling Emotionally focused therapy (EFT) Grief & loss counseling Humanistic therapy Infidelity counseling Insomnia therapy LGBTQIA+ counseling Life transitions counseling Loneliness counseling Motivational interviewing Obsessive-compulsive disorder therapy (OCDT) Panic attack disorder therapy Person-centered therapy (PCT) Personality disorder therapy Psychologists Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) Strength-based therapy Stress management therapy Trauma/PTSD therapy
Our Providers
Call (410) 724-1137
Columbia, MD therapy

Connect with a therapist, psychiatrist or counselor near you

686,000 people sought help with Thriveworks in the last year

Discover how starting grief & loss counseling can support your own journey toward a happier, more fulfilling life.

Meet with a grief counselor as soon as this week

3 therapists available in Columbia

Alexander Albert He/Him

Licensed Graduate Professional Counselor (LGPC)

As a student of psychology and an observer of human nature, I know that our distress is not without meaning, not in vain, and that...

Book with Alexander

Anna Altieri She/Her

Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC)

I am a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in the state of Maryland and have recently become a credentialed Board Approved Su...

Book with Anna

Carmela Katz She/Her

Licensed Clinical Social Worker - Certified (LCSW-Certified)

I believe sharing your deepest truth is not easy. I am honored to be both a compassionate witness and an experienced guide on your...

Book with Carmela

Common approaches to Grief & loss counseling

Hear from Gillian McCusker, Licensed Clinical Social Worker - Certified (LCSW-Certified)

View Gillian McCusker's profile

What is your go-to approach for grief & loss counseling?

Generally, when helping people in grief and loss counseling, the focus is on exploring your feelings. Almost every emotion comes up with grief. Having guidance and support as you talk through the tough ones like guilt, fear, and anger is really beneficial to healing.

What tools do you teach in grief & loss counseling?

There are lots of tools that can be part of grief counseling. One is mindfulness; it is a great skill, as everyone can benefit from being able to calm and center themselves when life feels overwhelming. It also can help you tolerate uncomfortable feelings, like riding out a wave of grief.

How do you know when a client is making meaningful progress in grief & loss counseling?

I know a client is making meaningful progress in grief counseling when they are connecting and engaging with the world again.

What can clients do in their personal time to supplement grief & loss counseling?

Clients can supplement their time in grief and loss counseling with support groups. They can be a great way to help you know you are not alone in loss, get more support, and offer support to others.

What should someone do to prepare for starting grief & loss counseling?

You can prepare for your first grief and loss counseling session by making sure you have some time after to collect yourself. Talking about the loss can be emotional, so you don't want to have to dive right back into something important immediately after.

What type of counseling is needed when a person cannot get over the grief of losing a loved one?

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 Columbia, MD have specific experience, training, and skills that enable them to best support grieving individuals.

How does grief and loss counseling work?

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 Columbia, MD will design your treatment plan around your unique needs and goals for therapy, applying the counseling techniques that best support them.

Signs I should seek grief counseling

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.

What counseling theory is best for grief?

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.

Is grief counseling conducted in person or online?

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.

How long does grief counseling last?

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.

Need more help deciding?

Columbia, MD—Howard Therapy for Grief and Loss, Adults and Children

When a loved one is lost, everyone who loved them can be affected by grief. Both adults and children will grieve for the person they’ve lost. For children, their grief may look a little different.

Children grieve losses just as intensely as adults do. They experience many of the same emotions and struggle to move through the same healing process. Denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance—the primary stages of grief—are seen in the grieving process of children as well as adults. What is different and often misunderstood is the way in which children grieve.

If you or your children need grief support, consider reaching out to Thriveworks Columbia to schedule a grief counseling appointment. Our counselors are here to help.

Do I Need Therapy for Grief and Loss?

Going through a tough loss is never easy and it can seriously impact your mental health. We’re conflicted over our emotions, our day to day, our last moments with the loved one lost, and so on. And many times, we need a little extra help dealing with the loss and moving through the grief process in a healthy manner. So, if you are suffering from a recent loss and aren’t sure if you need (or could benefit from) therapy for grief, assess the following signs:

Feelings of depression
Lack of joy in one’s everyday
A weak (or inexistent) support system
Avoidance of friends or family
Disregarding responsibilities, like work or school
Sudden changes in behavior, like sleep or eating habits
Inability to move on after several months

Normal Grieving in Children

Depending on the child’s age, grief may be expressed more through words or more through actions. Little ones especially do not yet have the cognitive skills to clearly express their feelings, and it can be frustrating. They will attempt to express or alleviate painful feelings through their actions. Some of the ways that children deal with grief are:

Eating more or less
Dreaming about the deceased person or reports of “seeing” or “feeling” them
Wanting to talk about the loss or refusing to talk about it at all
Expressing fears, concerns about safety or of others getting sick or dying
Asking questions about death and dying
Crying more or expressing sadness or moodiness in another way
Acting out driven by anger, irritability, or aggression
Being extra clingy with adults
Overreacting to seemingly little things
Expressing a desire to be with their lost loved on (not necessarily an indicator of suicidal thoughts but something to be mindful of)

The list can be long. The main thing to look for are changes that are different for your child. With loving family support, most kids move through their grief and healing. Sometimes, just like adults, they can get stuck in the process. Columbia, MD grief counseling can help.

When to Seek Grief Help for Your Child

While all of the signs listed above can be normal grief reactions for children, they can also be indicative of a child who is struggling. A good rule of thumb for parents is that if any of the normal grieving behaviors start to affect the child’s functioning or continue for an excessively long time, it might be time to seek help. Some of the signs that may indicate a need for professional help include:

Threats to harm self or others
Behavior that is dangerous or risky
Self-injurious behaviors
Aggressive or violent play with peers
Dramatic withdrawal from people or activities
Worrisome changes in personality
Difficulty functioning at home, in school or in the community

Schedule an Appointment for Grief Counseling at Thriveworks Columbia, MD in Howard County

Are you looking for Howard counseling for grief and loss? If you need guidance during this difficult time or you are concerned that your child may not be coping well with their loss, Columbia, MD grief counseling can help.

Our experienced counselors can provide the guidance and support you and your child need to heal the pain and find comfort and peace. We offer evening and weekend sessions, provide same-week appointments to new clients, and accept most major insurances. Call Columbia, MD grief counseling to schedule your appointment right now.

Pricing & insurance

Our therapists accept most major insurance and we offer self-pay options too.

Learn more about pricing for therapy and counseling at Thriveworks.

Insurance options

Self-pay costs

Our therapists and counselors in Columbia accept 27 insurance plans

Aetna
Aetna Medicare Advantage
Blue Cross Blue Shield | Anthem (Blue Card)
CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Maryland | BCBS HMO
CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Maryland | BCBS PPO
CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Maryland | Montgomery HMO
CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Maryland | Montgomery PPO
Carelon
Cigna | Evernorth
Compsych
Firefly Health Plan | Cigna PPO Network
First Health Network

Self-pay costs at Columbia

Talk therapy

Includes individual, couples, child/ teen, & family therapy

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Psychiatry

Includes reducing symptoms with medication & management

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Hear from our clients

5.0 Learn about verified reviews

View all reviews

★★★★★

My therapist helps me to navigate my anxiety, and depression and guilt regarding my son's suicide.I feel better after a session.

Denise Sep 2025