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 provider as soon as this week

Aetna, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina | BCBS, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina | BCBS Medicare Advantage, +19 more
Military / Veteran, Domestic Abuse, LGBTQIA+, Coping Skills, Infidelity, +16 more

As a widowed, working mother of 3, I understand the value of time and the importance of individuality when treating clients, along with knowledge that... As a widowed, working mother of 3, I understand the value of time and the importance of individuality when treating clients, along with knowledge that every person's journey and challenges are different. My purpose is to help you facilitate changes to meet your personal and emotional goals. I adjust my therapeutic approach to meet each client where they are in life. Read more

Aetna, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina | BCBS, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina | BCBS Medicare Advantage, +21 more
Chronic Illness, Coping Skills, Infidelity, Stress, Women’s Issues, +4 more

Congratulations on taking the first step in reaching your personal goals and attaining inner peace.

Aetna, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina | BCBS, Cigna | Evernorth, +4 more
Medical / Health Issues, Coping Skills, Self Esteem, Stress, Women’s Issues, +7 more

Aetna, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina | BCBS, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina | BCBS Medicare Advantage, +8 more
Self Esteem, Stress, Women’s Issues, Divorce / Breakup, ADHD, +5 more

As an ever-growing, self-motivated woman, I can understand the unique issues of over-functioning, perfectionism, and burnout.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina | BCBS, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina | BCBS Medicare Advantage, Blue Cross Blue Shield | Anthem (Blue Card), +4 more
Coping Skills, Self Esteem, Stress, Women’s Issues, Divorce / Breakup, +7 more

As a person with many life experiences, I enjoy helping other adults find success along life’s journey. I believe in the benefits of therapy and the... As a person with many life experiences, I enjoy helping other adults find success along life’s journey. I believe in the benefits of therapy and the resiliency of clients to develop the skills they need to manage their emotions, achieve their goals, and live a meaningful and purposeful life. Read more

Kathy Pendlay

Hear from Kathy Pendlay, Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate (LCMHC-A)

View Kathy Pendlay's profile

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

My go-to approach to help people in grief and loss counseling is cognitive behavioral therapy. One may experience many benefits from cognitive behavioral therapy.

What tools do you teach in grief & loss counseling?

I teach the following tools in grief and loss counseling:

  • Refocusing and reframing: Ways to redirect difficult perspectives/experiences
  • Journaling: A way to process the client's grieving process
  • Empty chair: Express feelings to the deceased by imagining they are sitting in the “empty chair”
  • Letter writing: Write a letter to the deceased individual as part of processing feelings
  • Five Stages of Grief (Kubler Ross): Help understand the stages as part of normalizing feelings and experiences

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

I know a client is making progress in grief and loss counseling when they are able to improve in their daily functioning, process their grief, and engage in social activities to help with grief.

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

Clients can supplement their time in grief and loss counseling with journaling, self-care, and engaging in social activities and relationships.

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

To prepare for their first grief and loss counseling session, an individual can journal the difficulties they are having and the goals they would like to work on during therapy.

Starting Grief & loss counseling

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 Cornelius, NC 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 Cornelius, NC 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.

Pricing & insurance

Our therapists accept most major insurances. We accept 585+ insurance plans, and offer self-pay options, too.
Learn more about pricing for therapy and counseling services at Thriveworks.

Our Cornelius therapists and counselors accept 23 insurance plans

  • Aetna

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield | Anthem (Blue Card)

  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina | BCBS

  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina | BCBS Medicare Advantage

  • Carelon

  • Caresource

  • Carolina Behavioral Health Alliance (CBHA)

  • Cigna | Evernorth

  • Cigna | Evernorth Medicare Advantage

  • Compsych

  • Devoted Health | Medicare Advantage

  • Firefly Health Plan | Cigna PPO Network

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Self-pay costs at Cornelius
Talk therapy

Talk therapy

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

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Talk therapy

Psychiatry

Includes reducing symptoms with medication & management

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Hear from our clients

4.9 Learn about verified reviews
★★★★★
My provider is very skilled at what she does. She has a way of framing thoughts that helps me understand and process my feelings. She also gives me practical strategies and tools I can apply in daily life.
Tonya Apr 2025
Thriveworks.com verified review
★★★★★
I absolutely love my therapist and the quality of sessions I receive from her.
Tanya Apr 2025
Thriveworks.com verified review
★★★★★
Christine is very personable and knowledgeable. I appreciate and value her insight and the positive impact it has had on my mental wellness.
Jae Apr 2025
Thriveworks.com verified review
★★★★★
Easy to schedule, smoother experience than trying to go independently through psych today. Provider is helpful and welcoming.
Daniel Apr 2025
Thriveworks.com verified review
★★★★★
Fast appointment availability. I feel like the counselor understood me and was not judgmental
Angela Apr 2025
Thriveworks.com verified review
★★★★★
I appreciate all of the continuous updates about payments, upcoming appointments and needed assessments. I truly like my provider and would recommend her. I am thrilled to have appointments via Zoom bc my health limits my ability to get to appointments out of the home so I am finally able to get care I need.
Read more I appreciate all of the continuous updates about payments, upcoming appointments and needed assessments. I truly like my provider and would recommend her. I am thrilled to have appointments via Zoom bc my health limits my ability to get to appointments out of the home so I am finally able to get care I need.
Sandra Apr 2025
Thriveworks.com verified review
★★★★
It was very easy to find and schedule with a provider I thought best fit my needs with my insurance in mind.
Jade Mar 2025
Thriveworks.com verified review
★★★★★
Krystal made my first session very comfortable and welcoming. Her goal is to get the best version of yourself she can. I can’t thank her enough for saving my life when I didn’t even know how desperate I was to be saved. HIGHLY recommend her services.
Read more Krystal made my first session very comfortable and welcoming. Her goal is to get the best version of yourself she can. I can’t thank her enough for saving my life when I didn’t even know how desperate I was to be saved. HIGHLY recommend her services.
Belinda Feb 2024
Thriveworks.com verified review

Where to find us

Getting here

Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry Cornelius is located off of W Catawba Ava in Johnsbury Square. We are in the same building as Jo Anne Barron, Southern Homes of the Carolinas. Nearby businesses include Artistic Interior Design and Goodwill.

Phone number

(980) 217-8678

Languages spoken by NC providers

  • English
Wednesday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Thursday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Friday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Saturday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Monday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Tuesday 8:00am - 9:00pm

Shown in ET

Wednesday 8:00am - 9:30pm
Thursday 8:00am - 9:30pm
Friday 8:00am - 9:30pm
Saturday 8:00am - 6:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 6:00pm
Monday 8:00am - 9:30pm
Tuesday 8:00am - 9:30pm

Shown in ET

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