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

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

Meet with a provider as soon as this week

Good news! We have 93 therapists in Texas available for an online or in-person session.
Josephine Barclay

Hear from Josephine Barclay, Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

View Josephine Barclay's profile

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

My approach for helping people in grief & loss counseling is CBT & ACT. I find the best benefit in mixing these two therapies because CBT addresses the triggers, stressors, and symptoms of grief, and ACT helps with finding meaning in the loss through acceptance and helps clients find healthy ways to honor the loss.

What tools do you teach in grief & loss counseling?

I encourage clients to talk about their loss in sessions. The empty chair technique is a great way to address the death of a loved one and address any unspoken words.

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 & loss counseling when they are finding more peace through acceptance. They also report less sadness and fewer depressive symptoms and are finding ways to honor or reframe the loss and move forward.

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

Clients can supplement their time in grief & loss counseling with writing. Another homework technique is a letter to address the loss/loved one, or poetry that resonates with their feelings and emotions. Another outlet is to encourage a client to start a journal. A personal favorite is to write down feelings and emotions tied to grief, saving them in the fireplace and then using them as kindling during the first cold night in winter.

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

To prepare for their first grief & loss counseling session, an individual can come with an open mind and not be afraid to show all of their emotions. First sessions are tough, and clients need to feel comfortable, physically and emotionally.

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 Houston, TX 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 Houston, TX 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 Houston therapists and counselors accept 41 insurance plans

  • APEX Memorial Hermann

  • ARIA | Covenant Management Systems

  • Aetna

  • Ambetter by Superior Health Plan

  • Auto Club Enterprises (Employers Health Network)

  • Baylor Scott and White Health Plan

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas HMO

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas PPO

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield | Anthem (Blue Card)

  • Buist Byars and Taylor (Employers Health Network)

  • Christus Health Plan Exchange

  • Christus Health Plan Medicare Advantage

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Self-pay costs at Houston
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

5.0 Learn about verified reviews
★★★★★
So lucky to live at a time when therapy is more acceptable and encouraged rather than back in the day. I wish I would’ve reached out sooner. After a traumatic event, my life was spinning out of control. I now feel like I’m more equipped to manage the issues that arise.
Read more So lucky to live at a time when therapy is more acceptable and encouraged rather than back in the day. I wish I would’ve reached out sooner. After a traumatic event, my life was spinning out of control. I now feel like I’m more equipped to manage the issues that arise.
Christina Dec 2023
Thriveworks.com verified review

Where to find us

Getting here

We share a building with EmbroidMe – NW Houston, as well as Atomic Skin and Superior Home Performance. We are directly across from SH-249 N.

Phone number

(210) 864-1420

Languages spoken by TX providers

  • English
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
Wednesday 8:00am - 9:00pm

Shown in CT

Thursday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Friday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Saturday 7:00am - 6:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 5:00pm
Monday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Tuesday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Wednesday 7:00am - 9:30pm

Shown in CT

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