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Grief can show up in unexpected ways beyond sadness, including changes in routines, talking to a loved one who has died, and physical or emotional withdrawal. This post explores common grief responses that are often misunderstood but deeply human.

Grief is a journey without a map. It twists and turns, sometimes gentle, sometimes fierce. When grief becomes complicated, it feels like being caught in a storm that never quite clears. You may find yourself stuck in pain, unable to move forward. But there is hope. You can learn to navigate this difficult path with care and courage. Understanding and Managing Complicated Grief Complicated grief is not just sadness. It is a deep, persistent pain that interferes with your daily

Anxiety has become one of the most searched and talked-about experiences in mental health today—and for good reason. More people are naming it, living with it, and trying to understand it than ever before. What's important to understand is that anxiety isn't just something that happens in our thoughts. Most of the time, we feel it in the body first. A tight chest. A racing heart. Restlessness. The inability to settle—even when nothing is technically wrong. That's because t

Grief is not a steady river. It is a sea with tides, currents, and sudden storms. When loss first hits, it does not feel like waves at all. Instead, it crashes over you, overwhelming every sense. You lose your footing. Time blurs. The past and present collide. Your body and mind scramble to hold it all together. Ordinary moments feel strange, as if you are floating in a dream. This is the beginning of grief - a raw, disorienting force that reshapes your world. The Early Storm

The Weight of Expectations A client enters the room appearing fatigued. Their posture is collapsed inward, and their speech is measured and subdued. As the session unfolds, they identify multiple domains in which they believe they are failing. Professionally, they describe decreased productivity and difficulty concentrating. Personally, they report strained relationships and emotional withdrawal. Financially, they note mounting stress and a sense of instability. After outlini

By Dr. April Hortman, LCSW Like many clinicians, I initially felt a deep unease about the rise of AI in mental health. At first, I grieved what felt like a threat to everything I’ve devoted my life to: the human connection, relational depth, and the expertise of training and lived experience. I worried: Would AI replace the therapist? Would my professional identity become obsolete? But as I sat with these fears, much like I encourage my clients to do, I realized two things ca

A trauma-informed, somatic model of grief that honors the body's natural response to loss and our deeply human capacity to repair. The...