Grief doesn't follow a timeline, and it doesn't care about the stages you've read about online. You lost someone, or something, that mattered deeply, and now the world feels fundamentally different. That's not something you push through. It's something you need real support to move through.
I'm Dr. Elissa Hurand, and I provide grief counseling in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood. I hold a PhD and am licensed as both an LMHC and LPCC, with over 15 years of clinical experience specializing in trauma and loss. I work with people who are struggling with the kind of grief that doesn't resolve on its own, the kind that disrupts your sleep, your relationships, your ability to function at work, and your sense of who you are without the person you lost.
If you're looking for a grief counselor in Seattle who specializes in this work rather than treating it as one item on a long list of services, I'd like to talk with you.
Grief Counseling in Seattle
Types of Grief I Work With
Grief takes many forms, and I don't limit my practice to one kind of loss. I work with clients in Seattle dealing with:
Death
Death of a spouse, partner, parent, child, or close friend
Pregnancy Loss
Pregnancy loss, stillbirth, and infant loss
Traumatic Loss
Sudden or traumatic loss — accidents, suicide, overdose, violence
Divorce
Divorce, estrangement, or the loss of a relationship
Terminal Illness
Anticipatory grief during a loved one's terminal illness
Career Loss
Career loss, identity transitions, and other non-death grief
The common thread isn't the type of loss. It's that the grief has become more than you can carry alone, and the people in your life, however well-meaning, can't give you what you actually need right now.
When Grief Gets Stuck: Complicated and Traumatic Grief
Most people experience acute grief that gradually shifts over months. It hurts, but they adapt. For some, the grief doesn't shift. It stays raw. Months or years later, the pain is as intense as the first week.
This is sometimes called complicated grief or prolonged grief disorder, and it's distinct from normal bereavement. The hallmarks are persistent longing, difficulty accepting the loss, emotional numbness alternating with intense pain, withdrawal from life, and a sense that the future is meaningless without the person who died.
Traumatic grief adds another layer, when the death itself was sudden, violent, or traumatic, the grief gets tangled with trauma responses. You're grieving and experiencing PTSD symptoms simultaneously, and each one amplifies the other.
I have extensive training in both grief therapy and trauma treatment, including EMDR and somatic experiencing, which means I can work with both layers at once rather than treating them as separate problems.
How I Approach Grief Counseling
I don't follow a one-size-fits-all grief protocol. What I do follow is the evidence on what actually helps people integrate loss and rebuild a life that has meaning, even when it looks completely different from what they planned.
Processing the loss at your pace. Grief therapy isn't about forcing you to "get over it" or hitting someone else's timeline for recovery. It's about creating a safe space to feel what you feel, say what you haven't been able to say, and make sense of an experience that may not make sense.
Addressing the trauma when it's present. When the circumstances of the loss were traumatic, I draw on EMDR and somatic trauma therapy to help your nervous system process the trauma component so that grief work can actually take hold.
Working with the body, not just the mind. Grief lives in the body, the tightness in your chest, the exhaustion, the physical ache. Somatic approaches help because they work with what your body is carrying, not just what your mind is thinking.
Rebuilding identity and meaning. Significant loss changes who you are. Part of grief counseling is helping you figure out who you're becoming now, not replacing what you lost, but finding a way forward that honors it.
What to Expect in Your First Session
We start with a conversation, no pressure, no clinical checklists. I want to understand your loss, how it's affecting you right now, and what you're hoping to get from counseling. I'll be honest with you about what I think will help and how I'd approach your specific situation.
Most clients see me weekly, especially in the early phase. Some sessions will be heavy. Some will surprise you with unexpected relief. Grief counseling isn't linear, and I won't pretend it is.
Practical Details
Location: 5306 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle's Ballard neighborhood.
Telehealth: Available for all Washington & California State residents.
Insurance: I'm an out-of-network provider. I provide superbills for reimbursement if you have out-of-network benefits.
Credentials: PhD, LMHC, LPCC. EMDR trained through an EMDRIA-approved program. Over 15 years of clinical experience with trauma and grief.
You Don't Have to Grieve Alone
The people around you may have stopped asking how you're doing. They may have moved on while you're still in it. That doesn't mean you should be "over it" by now. It means you need someone who understands that grief on this level requires more than time.
If you're looking for grief counseling in Seattle with a therapist who takes this work seriously, I'm here.