Room for both
We don’t rush past the trauma to get to the grief, or the other way around. We make space for each, at a pace you can handle. You set the speed; I help you stay steady.
Bill Curtin, LCSW · Virtual therapy in Pennsylvania
When grief comes
with trauma.
Most people expect grief to hurt. What they don’t expect is the shock that won’t lift: the images that replay, the moment you keep returning to, the feeling that your body never got the message that it’s over. That’s traumatic grief, loss tangled up with trauma. I help people work through both.
Request a free 20-minute consultationFree 20-minute consultation · Online therapy for adults in Pennsylvania.
What it is
Grief and trauma,
tangled together.
Traumatic grief happens when someone dies in a way that shocks the system: a sudden accident, violence, an overdose, a suicide, a death that doesn’t make sense. The mourning needs room, and so does the shock. People often feel stuck between the two, unable to grieve because the trauma keeps pulling them back to the worst moment.
It can look like intrusive images or thoughts about how they died, avoiding reminders, feeling numb or on edge, guilt about what you did or didn’t do, or a sense that life split into before and after. If any of that sounds familiar, you’re not broken. You’re having a normal response to something terrible.
How I work with it
Practical help.
Deeper understanding.
Structured trauma work
I’m trained in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), an evidence-based approach for trauma. When it fits, we use it to work through the stuck points: the guilt, the what-ifs, the beliefs about yourself that the trauma left behind.
Understanding the loss
My foundation is psychodynamic therapy. Alongside the practical work, we explore what this loss means in the context of your life and relationships, so the grief can move instead of staying frozen.
Why me for this
A decade where
it counts.
- Ten years in the hardest rooms
Before private practice, I spent a decade in the victim services field and community behavioral health. That work taught me what it means to sit with people during the worst moments of their lives, and it’s the foundation of how I practice now.
- Trained for trauma, not just grief
Many therapists treat grief or trauma. I’m trained in both, including CPT, so neither half of what you’re carrying gets sidelined.
- A real relationship, not a protocol
This isn’t a six-session program. It’s a therapeutic relationship built over time, aimed at lasting change.
Questions
What people
usually ask.
How is traumatic grief different from regular grief?
In ordinary grief, the pain slowly changes shape over time. In traumatic grief, trauma symptoms, intrusive images, avoidance, hypervigilance, guilt, can freeze the grieving process in place. Therapy addresses both the trauma and the loss so mourning can actually move forward.
Do I have to talk about the details of what happened?
Not all at once, and not before you’re ready. We go at your pace. Part of my job is helping you approach the hard parts in a way that feels manageable, not overwhelming.
What are your fees?
Sessions are $200. A limited number of reduced-fee spots are available based on financial need. I provide superbills on request if you’d like to seek out-of-network reimbursement from your insurer.
Do you offer a free consultation?
Yes. A free 20-minute consultation so we can see if we’re a good fit. We’ll talk about what brings you in, any questions you have, and what working together would look like.
Where and how do sessions happen?
All sessions are held online through secure telehealth, for adults located in Pennsylvania.
Getting started
You don’t have to
carry this alone.
If loss and trauma have gotten tangled together for you, or for someone you love, reach out. We’ll start with a free 20-minute consultation and see if working together feels right.
Book your free consultationPick a time that works for you. You’ll get a confirmation right away.