fbpx

Grief Therapy

Professional psychotherapy is offered to bereaved adults, teens, children, couples and families whose loss is complicated by higher degrees of trauma, and/or additional relational or emotional circumstances.

While our peer support service model is appropriate for many, some individuals have circumstances that complicate their grief work, such as multiple losses, complex family relationships, depression, anxiety, or stress reactions due to traumatic circumstances. These individuals may benefit from therapy rather than or in addition to Kara's peer support services. The therapy services are also unique as couples and families can be seen together on an on-going basis. Additionally, Kara makes referrals to other community resources and private therapists when appropriate for the individual or family.

With the goal of serving the bereaved in our community while prioritizing the health and safety of clients, volunteers, and staff, Kara service options may include both in-person and telehealth (phone or video meetings) support services. Inquiries from individuals, families, and organizations should be submitted through this contact form or by calling us at 650-321-5272

Request Services: Call Us 650-321-5272 | Submit Online Form

When Therapy Can Help

  • When a terminal illness or death has left you feeling unable to function the way you would like in your daily life.
  • When a loss has activated past traumas, depression, anxiety, substance addictions, or relationship issues. When you are dealing with more than just a loss-you are facing other hardships in your life and the loss has made things even more complicated for you.
  • When you have experienced multiple losses.
  • When your history includes certain diagnoses, including alcohol or drug dependence or abuse, bipolar disorder, severe anxiety or depression, self-harm, suicide attempts, borderline personality disorder, or other diagnoses that benefit from skilled professional support.
  • When your family would like a series of facilitated meetings to work through how grief has affected your relationships with one another.
  • When grief is affecting your relationship with your partner and you'd like help to communicate with each other about it.
  • When your teen or child seems to be suffering more than you expected after a loss and you believe that they need skilled individual support.
  • If your teen or child is lashing out at others or seems to be doing things that are harmful to himself or herself after a loss.
  • All of the above, as well as other circumstances not detailed, may contribute to complicated grief. In such cases, the services required are beyond the scope of peer counseling volunteers and require the clinical skills that our Marriage Family Therapist Interns can offer.

Clinical Team

The clinical team providing therapy to Kara's clients consist of Associate Marriage & Family Therapists, Associate Clinical Social Workers, and Marriage & Family Therapist Trainees who are completing their supervised clinical service hours in preparation for the licensure exam. The team has a depth of knowledge and experience dealing with the complex issues of grief and loss in addition to excellent clinical training. Their areas of interest include working with clients suffering from depression, anxiety, trauma, suicide, neglect, spousal loss, terminal illness, and end of life issues. Members of the team work with children, teens, adults, couples, and families. In addition, individual members of the team have received specialized training in Child Development, Interpersonal Neurobiology, DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy), EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing), Critical Incident Stress Management, and MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction). This combination of experience and training makes Kara's psychotherapy services a unique resource for our community.

Fees and Insurance

Kara is dedicated to ensuring that therapy services are accessible to the community. Therapy services are provided on a fee-for-service basis with a sliding scale available where there is demonstrated need.

Kara does not process service claims with health insurance providers; clients are responsible for submitting insurance claims for reimbursement. Payment receipts will be issued regularly to clients while receiving services. If needed, and upon request, monthly service statements can be provided. Some insurance companies require the referral of a medical doctor, and some do not accept claims where service has been provided by an intern. Each client should check with his or her insurance company to determine if certain limitations apply.

Good Faith Estimate Notice

You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical and mental health care will cost. Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the expected charges for medical services, including psychotherapy services. You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency healthcare services, including psychotherapy services. You can ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule a service. If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.

Professional referrals are welcome. Please review our Professional Referral Guidelines