Perinatal Grief Therapy
Perinatal grief therapy is specifically designed to help parents and families cope with the loss of a pregnancy or infant.
Imani’s Light offers perinatal grief therapy for BIPOC parents in Washington State.
- Are you navigating the grief and pain of perinatal loss?
- Did you experience a miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss?
- Did you have to make the heartbreaking decision to terminate for medical reasons (TFMR)?
- Does it feel as though your world has been turned completely upside down, leaving you feeling a mixture of sadness, anger, guilt, despair, and longing?
If you have found your way here, you are probably navigating some of the most devastating emotions you have ever felt. Firstly, I am so sorry for your loss. Coping with the loss of a pregnancy, infant, or child can bring unimaginable loneliness, grief, and sadness.
You may be wondering if you will feel like this forever. It can feel as though no one truly understands your grief and pain. You may find yourself putting on the “I’m fine” mask just to make it through each day. If you are searching for a space to process your grief, to take off the mask for a moment, to fall apart, to talk about your pregnancy, to speak your baby’s name, know you don’t have to do it alone. Perinatal grief therapy can help you build that space.
You deserve the space to grieve this loss.
Throughout our lives, we will all experience grief and loss in some form or another. However, despite 1 in 4 birthing people experiencing pregnancy loss, we are often unprepared for the deep sorrow, shock, and pain that comes from losing a baby.
Society has a difficult time with grief in general, but the loss of a baby can leave parents feeling alone in their grief. Bereaved parents are often encouraged to hurry up and feel better. This can come in the form of unhelpful platitudes like “You’re young, you can get pregnant again,” “Be grateful for your living kids.” Statements that dismiss and diminish grief, “It was just a miscarriage.” Or the worst offender, “Everything happens for a reason.”
Most people offer these words as comfort, but the truth is that they do the complete opposite. Those words cause bereaved parents to feel ashamed of their pain. It causes them to swallow their grief and try to push forward. Keeping that pain locked inside is not only hard but can impact your quality of life and your healing journey. Finding a safe place to process the grief of your pregnancy or infant loss is crucial.
Grief does not operate on society’s timeline.
Perinatal Grief & Loss Therapy
I want to normalize a few things for you. It is perfectly normal if you are not feeling like yourself. Grief can cause you to feel numb or confused, which in turn can cause you withdraw from the world. You lost so much more than a pregnancy or an infant. Perinatal loss causes you to view the world in a way you never imagined. The innocence and excitement that were there “before” may be replaced with fear and anger. The many layers of grief can remind you that you are mourning the loss of your child, but also the dreams and milestones that you held for that child. No matter what week of pregnancy you experience a loss, your pain is valid.
It may feel as though you will feel this way forever. However I want to tell you that it is possible to grieve your loss while honoring your baby. Healing from a perinatal loss happens in a compassionate space where grief is able to be seen, heard, and processed. I will never say that time heals all wounds, but I can say that over time your grief will change.
You have experienced an unimaginable loss,
there is no shame in grieving out loud.
After a pregnancy or infant loss, you may feel:
- Shock and numbness
- Flashbacks
- Overwhelming sadness and sudden bouts of crying
- Thinking you did something “wrong”
- Overwhelming sorrow and sadness
- Anger at your body, your care provider, your partner, other pregnant people, etc.
- Longing for your baby emotionally and even physically aching
- Anxious or afraid about getting pregnant again
- Feeling overwhelmed with your grief
- Physically exhausted and unable to get anything done
- Feeling like no one understands and isolated
- Tension in your relationships with your partner, friends or family
- Questioning everything about your body, your faith, your relationships, and your future.
There is no one way to grieve. Processing grief pulls you through many emotional shifts that can include denial, anger, depression, bargaining, and acceptance. Contrary to popular belief these emotional states are not linear, nor do they have a designated order. It can be difficult to allow yourself the space to grieve without shame. Perinatal grief therapy at Imani’s Light can provide you the space to process your loss, honor your baby, grieve in a way that feels healing to you.
Grief Therapy after a Miscarriage, Stillbirth, or Infant Loss can help
Grief Therapy can provide you support along your grief journey, and can help improve your overall mental health. If you are navigating a pregnancy or infant loss, there is a good chance that perinatal grief therapy can help if:
- You are working through painful emotions and memories
- You are experiencing painful memories and anxiety, depression, or insomnia
- You are having a difficult time moving through daily life because of your grief
- Coping with distressing triggers (i.e. pregnancy milestone dates, pregnant friends or family members, baby shower invites, requests to hold a new baby)
- You are thinking about the future (trying again, parenting after loss)
You are not alone.
Whether you have experienced a miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss, it can be difficult to know what comes next. The day-to-day feelings after a pregnancy or infant loss can be difficult to wade through, understand, or explain. Perinatal grief therapy is not about rushing through the pain of grief so that you can get “better,” it is about creating a space where you feel safe to talk about your baby and your experiences. Grief therapy can help provide you with the skills you need to sit with your feelings of grief, without feeling as though it is going to swallow you whole. Throughout that journey you will also discover how to manage emotions around triggers, grief milestones, and adjusting to life “after.”
We offer online perinatal grief therapy for residents of Washington state.
You can now get help from an online grief & trauma therapist from the comfort of your home.
How does Perinatal Grief Therapy work?
Perinatal grief therapy is a specialized form of counseling or therapy that is specifically designed to help parents and families cope with the loss of a baby. Therapy for pregancy loss provides a safe and supportive environment where the bereaved can talk about their feelings and experiences, and receive validation and compassion. Additionally, perinatal grief therapy can help individuals to process their emotions, come to terms with their loss, and begin the healing process. It can also provide valuable tools and strategies for coping with the ongoing impact of the loss on their lives.
Grief encompasses so many different emotions and situations. This means there is no
“one-size fits all approach”. At Imani’s Light, we offer a number of different therapeutic approaches for perinatal grief.
Some grief therapy tools and techniques include:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Traumatic grief therapy
- Dual Process Model for Grief
- Expressive Arts Therapy for Perinatal Grief
- EMDR for perinatal grief
Companioning - Rituals/Memory Making
Interested in starting Perinatal Grief & Loss Therapy?
At Imani’s Light, I provide specialized therapy for birthing people who have experienced a miscarriage, stillbirth, TFMR, and infant loss. I also provide therapy for families navigating an extended stay in the NICU.
I consider it an honor to walk alongside clients as they navigate grief, offering support and guidance as they work towards healing. As a care provider with multiple grief certifications, I also have over 15 years of experience as a Birth/Bereavement Doula and trained midwife, and I am a loss parent. I have a strong understanding of of the ways perinatal loss impacts your mental and physical health.
You may never be exactly who you were before your loss, but you can navigate through the darkness of grief into the light. I would be honored to walk alongside and support you on your grief journey.
Online Perinatal Grief & Loss Therapy in Washington State
Imani’s Light provides online perinatal grief & loss therapy all over Washington State. With online grief therapy, you can process your grief in the safety and comfort of your own home using a secure telehealth platform to protect your privacy and maintain confidentiality.
Imani’s Light offers online perinatal grief & loss therapy to residents all across Washington State, including Seattle, Tacoma, Bellevue, West Seattle, Pasco, Kennewick, Richland, Western Washington, Eastern Washington, and everwhere in between.
If you live in Washington state, and you are ready to start perinatal grief therapy, I offer a free 15-minute consultation to we are a good fit for your therapeutic goals. Please feel free to browse the website, explore the therapy services I offer, and check out the rates for therapy.