Grief and Loss Counseling in Oak Brook

Grief does not follow one schedule

Popular descriptions of grief can make people wonder whether they are doing it correctly. In practice, grief may change from day to day and return around milestones, relationships, responsibilities, or ordinary reminders. Counseling should not force a stage model, rush the person toward closure, or imply that maintaining a bond with what was lost is unhealthy.

Loss can take many forms

People may seek counseling after a death, a change in health or role, retirement, the end of a relationship, a move, a family transition, or another meaningful loss. The significance belongs to the person experiencing it. The clinician can help clarify whether the grief page, depression counseling, trauma-informed work, or another service is the most appropriate entry point.

What grief counseling may offer

Sessions may make room for memories and emotions, help the person communicate with family or friends, examine changes in identity and routine, and develop ways to move through difficult moments. The aim is not to erase the relationship or experience. Goals should come from the client's needs and may change over time.

Grief and depression

Grief and depression can overlap, but they are not automatically the same. A clinician can listen for the full pattern, daily impact, duration, safety concerns, and context. If someone may be in immediate danger, call 911. In the United States, call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline rather than waiting for a routine inquiry response.

Meet Candida Jacoby

Candida Jacoby, LCSW, includes grief and loss among her focus areas, alongside anxiety, stress, coping skills, self-esteem, and life transitions. She works with adolescents ages 14 to 19, adults, and older adults, as well as LGBTQIA+ clients. Her approach is holistic and person-centered, drawing on strengths-based work, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and mindfulness and meditation.

Grief does not always require counseling, and many people move through loss with support from family and community. When the experience feels persistent, complicated, or hard to carry alongside daily life, counseling can offer a place to speak openly. Current availability and fit can be confirmed through intake.