Today, on World Mental Health Day, I find myself reflecting on why I chose this work and what it means to me.
As a child, I knew I wanted to be a therapist. That calling became deeply personal when my 15-year-old brother died by suicide when I was 21. I was in college, my family was estranged, and I quickly discovered how lonely grief can be when others don’t know how to sit with your pain.
I made a promise then to honor my brother by creating a space where no one would ever feel that their grief was too much to share or too difficult for someone to bear witness to.
My understanding of grief deepened after a major trauma in 2010, when I found myself struggling with anxiety, hopelessness, and a loss of joy. I recognized those feelings from my earlier grief and came to understand even more profoundly that grief can emerge through many different experiences of loss and life events.
Today, I feel deeply honored to do this work and to be trusted by people during some of the most vulnerable chapters of their lives. Being able to listen, validate, and walk alongside someone without asking them to rush their healing is a privilege.
My brother was only 15, with so much life and self-discovery ahead of him. While I can never give him those experiences, I can honor his life through the work I do every day: creating a space where people feel heard, seen, and less alone.
That is the heart of Rooting Through Grief, and I am grateful to share this space with you.
With warmth and gratitude,
Rooting Through Grief 🤍
