There's no right way to grieve. But there are times when grief becomes too heavy to carry alone, and that's when reaching out matters.
Grief is the natural response to loss - the death of someone you love, the end of a relationship, a miscarriage, a diagnosis, or the loss of who you thought you'd be. It is not a disorder. But grief can sometimes become prolonged or complicated in ways that significantly impair your ability to function and find meaning in life.
Prolonged Grief Disorder involves intense, persistent yearning, difficulty accepting the loss, and a sense that life is meaningless without the person or thing you've lost - lasting well beyond what would typically be expected. It's different from depression, though the two can overlap.
Grief can also be complicated by cultural expectations - families and communities that don't acknowledge certain losses, or where grief is expected to be silent and brief. Your loss is real regardless of whether others validate it.
Grief support begins with being fully heard. I take time in our first session to understand not just the loss, but the relationship, the circumstances, the cultural context, and the full weight of what you're carrying. There's no rush, and there's no timeline you're expected to follow.
If grief has crossed into depression or is significantly impairing your daily functioning, medication may help stabilize your mood enough to do the deeper work of healing. Supportive therapy and compassionate presence are central to how I approach grief. All sessions are via telehealth across Virginia, available in English and Tiếng Việt.
If you are in crisis right now, please do not wait for an appointment.
Call or text 988 — the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Free, confidential, available 24/7.
For emergencies, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
Alice Tran Psychiatric Care does not operate 24/7 and does not provide crisis services. Emails, voicemails, text or portal messages are typically responded to within 24 to 72 business hours.
You don't have to do it alone.