Therapy for Grief

Grief in Black Women: More Than Just Sadness

Grief can be a tidal wave — unpredictable, consuming, and at times, isolating. For Black women, loss can carry unique layers shaped by cultural expectations, family roles, and the reality of having to “keep going” even while hurting.

Whether you’ve lost a loved one, experienced pregnancy or infant loss, are mourning the loss of a beloved pet, or are navigating another life-altering absence, grief can change how you see yourself, your relationships, and the world around you.

How Grief May Show Up

Grief does not follow a straight line, and it can show up in unexpected ways. For Black women, the weight of grief is often carried quietly due to cultural pressures or lack of support. Its impact can touch work, home, relationships, and the body, sometimes surfacing when least expected.

AT WORK Struggling to focus or complete tasks. Feeling drained after simple interactions. Using work to avoid painful feelings — or avoiding work altogether.
AT HOME Avoiding responsibilities or over-focusing on them to stay “in control.” Feeling emotionally numb or emotionally reactive with family. Losing interest in hobbies, cooking, or self-care.
IN RELATIONSHIPS Withdrawing from friends or community. Feeling resentment when others don’t “show up” the way you need. Difficulty expressing what you need from loved ones.
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PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS Headaches, stomach upset, muscle tension. Changes in sleep and appetite. Fatigue that doesn’t go away with rest.

Why Black Women’s Grief Is Often Overlooked

The “Strong Black Woman” narrative can make others believe you’re “handling it” even when you’re barely holding on. In some spaces, expressions of deep sadness may be minimized, spiritualized away, or misunderstood. The reality: grief needs space, time, and support — not just resilience.

How Therapy Can Support You Through Grief

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

How it helps: Challenges unhelpful thoughts that can deepen grief, like “I should be over this by now” or “I’ll never feel joy again.” Builds healthier thinking patterns and daily coping skills.

What it looks like:  Identifying recurring thoughts during sessions, reframing them together, and practicing small behavioral changes (like re-engaging with supportive people or activities) between sessions.

Narrative Therapy

How it helps: Gives meaning to your grief by helping you tell your story in a way that honors your loss, your identity, and your resilience.

What it looks like: Writing, speaking, or creative expression in session to reconstruct your grief story — shifting from “I’m broken” to “I am carrying this and still living.”

How it helps: Allows the brain to reprocess painful memories so they feel less raw and overwhelming, reducing emotional and physical distress.

What it looks like: Using gentle eye movements, tapping, or sounds while recalling distressing moments — helping your mind store the memory without the same intensity of pain.

How it helps: Brings you back to the present when grief pulls you into overwhelming memories or “what-ifs.” Reduces anxiety and improves emotional regulation.

What it looks like: Practicing deep breathing, guided meditations, sensory grounding (naming five things you can see, hear, or feel), and short movement exercises you can use at home or in public spaces.

Mindfulness & Grounding Practices

Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR)

The Role of Faith in Therapy

For many Black women, faith is not just belief — it’s our anchor, our history, and our way of making sense of life’s challenges. We recognize that your spirituality, church family, and cultural practices may be central to your identity, and therapy should support, not compete with, those values.

Faith integration in therapy can look like:

  • Opening or closing sessions with prayer.

  • Exploring scripture alongside therapeutic insights.

  • Using meditation, music, or storytelling rooted in your heritage.

  • Navigating how to set boundaries within faith communities while staying connected.

We also understand that some Black women carry pain from church hurt, exclusion, or spiritual abuse. Therapy can be a safe space to unpack those wounds, rebuild trust in your spiritual self, and explore new forms of connection that nurture rather than harm.

Online & In-Person Grief Therapy — Accessible and Confidential

Whether you’re in Los Angeles, Long Beach, Concord, Atlanta, or anywhere in California or Georgia, you can choose what works best for you. Our secure telehealth platform connects you with a Black woman therapist from the comfort of your own home, and our in-person sessions offer a safe, welcoming space if you prefer to meet face-to-face

Meet Our Black Women Therapists

Therapy for Grief FAQs

  • Yes — we accept multiple insurance plans in California and Georgia. These include: United Healthcare (Optum), Oxford (Optum), United Healthcare Medicare Advantage, Anthem Blue Cross California, Anthem EAP (Bank of America), Blue Shield of California, Carelon Behavioral Health, Magellan, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Quest Behavioral Health, Aetna, Horizon Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Jersey, Independence Blue Cross Pennsylvania, and Cigna. We also offer therapy vouchers for eligible Black women currently pregnant or within one year postpartum.

  • Yes. Even grief that feels “old” can carry unresolved pain, and therapy can help you process it in ways that bring peace.

  • No. Grief can come from many life changes — including the loss of a pet, a relationship, a home, or a sense of identity.

  • Yes — if you choose, your therapist can incorporate prayer, scripture, and spiritual traditions into your sessions.

Additional Resources