Grief Therapy with Dr Susan Hollander

Grief doesn’t have a timeline, but healing begins when you feel supported, seen, and understood.

“You do not have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”

— Martin Luther King Jr.

Grief changes everything. After losing a loved one, daily life may feel disjointed, unfamiliar, or strangely quiet.

Some people feel deep sadness or sudden waves of anger. Others notice a numbness that lingers or an ache that shows up in the body. There are moments when time feels stuck, and routines no longer make sense.

Dr. Susan Hollander, Ph.D., offers grief counseling rooted in clinical skill and emotional presence. As a seasoned grief counselor and mental health professional, she provides a place for bereaved individuals to slow down, express the pain of loss, and begin to reshape their inner world. With experience in complicated grief, traumatic grief, and prolonged grief disorder, Dr. Hollander helps clients engage with sorrow, rebuild trust in their own emotions, and reconnect with what still matters.

Begin your healing process today — Schedule a therapy appointment with Dr. Hollander.

How Traumatic Grief Works — And Why Ignoring It Doesn’t

Grief isn’t just an emotional response. It’s a full-body, full-life experience shaped by memory, attachment, and the brain’s attempt to make sense of loss. After a death or other significant loss, the mind often searches for the person who’s gone, through dreams, reflexive thoughts, even brief flashes of belief that they’re still here. This is the attachment system still reaching.

Over time, those moments become painful reminders or feel like disorienting signs of personal failure. But they aren’t pathology. They’re part of what it means to experience grief as a human being with bonds that mattered. Left unsupported, these responses may shift into complicated grief, where the natural adaptation process gets stuck. Therapy creates space for that process to begin moving again, not through forced resolution, but through understanding, presence, and emotional pacing.

Grief can be all-consuming—physically, mentally, and emotionally. At times like these, compassionate therapy with Dr. Susan Hollander can offer a path forward.

Complicated Grief Rewrites the Nervous System

Loss disrupts regulation. The nervous system may enter a prolonged state of alarm — leading to anxiety, physical exhaustion, or numb disconnection. Many grieving clients describe feeling “frozen,” like life is moving but they’re not in it. This isn’t weakness. It’s the body protecting itself. Dr. Hollander helps clients understand these responses through the lens of both psychology and physiology, supporting a gradual return to safety and inner stability.

“Grief is in two parts. The first is loss. The second is the remaking of life.”

— Anne Roiphe

Attachment Doesn’t End — It Transforms

People often assume that grief fades when enough time passes. But attachment doesn’t end when someone dies. It shifts. The deceased loved one continues to exist internally — as memory, as influence, as emotional presence. Therapy helps integrate that relationship into the client’s inner world in a way that reduces pain without erasing significance. This isn’t about “letting go.” It’s about reshaping connection into something that can be carried with strength, not sorrow alone.

Unspoken Grief Becomes Inherited Grief

Unprocessed loss doesn’t vanish. It often moves into the next generation through silence, mood patterns, or emotional distance. Children sense unresolved sorrow. Partners feel the absence behind the eyes. Therapy gives clients the tools to engage directly with their pain — reducing the chance that the weight of one person’s grief becomes the burden of someone else’s life. Healing is personal, but it’s never isolated.

Grief doesn’t follow a timeline — but support is available now.

Meet Dr. Susan Hollander, Ph.D.

Dr. Susan Hollander is a licensed mental health professional with a Ph.D. in Social Work and over 30 years of experience helping clients work through grief, trauma, major depression, and emotional disruption. Her approach combines psychodynamic psychotherapy, mindfulness, and deep clinical skills to support bereaved individuals in finding stability, meaning, and emotional clarity.

Known for her warmth and directness, she offers compassionate and deeply effective therapy. She’s worked with countless grieving clients, including those experiencing complicated grief, traumatic grief, and prolonged grief disorder, always with the belief that change is possible at any stage of life.

“What is most personal is most universal.”

— Carl R. Rogers

Grief can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to face it alone. Through compassionate support and personalized care, Dr. Susan Hollander helps clients navigate loss, process emotions, and begin the healing journey—one step at a time. 🕊️💬

Manage Stress, Even in the Middle of Deep Sadness

The grieving process often brings strong emotions that feel unpredictable or overwhelming — a mix of guilt, expressed anger, and a sense that the world no longer makes sense. Therapy helps you process those reactions in a healthy manner, without needing to suppress or escape them. With support, emotional pain begins to soften. You regain the ability to respond to life instead of react to it. Emotional intelligence deepens. This is how many clients begin to move forward — by first making space for what hurts.

Restore the Parts of Your Life That Feel Lost or Disconnected

Grief affects daily functioning and the ability to engage in personal relationships, routines, and meaningful goals. You may feel disconnected from others or unsure how to speak about what you’re going through. Therapy offers specific coping strategies that help restore balance — especially after the death of a loved one, a family member, or someone with whom you shared a profound bond. You’ll learn to manage stress, reconnect with life goals, and show up fully in the world again.

Create a Future That Respects the Past Without Getting Stuck In It

Many people enter grief counselling unsure if healing is even possible. You might feel frozen in time, unable to adjust to a new reality after a significant loss. Therapy provides structure for change. Through steady sessions and thoughtful work, you’ll build a future that honors your relationship with the deceased person without being trapped by it. With guidance from a grief counselor, you’ll gain tools to cope, experience emotional relief, and reclaim a sense of purpose, even as you continue to carry the memory of the deceased loved one.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What if I’m experiencing intense sadness months or even years after the loss?

That’s more common than people think. Grief doesn’t run on a schedule. Many clients experience intense sadness long after the loved one’s death, especially if the grief was never given the space it needed early on. Therapy helps you process what’s still present so it doesn’t echo through your days.

Is this therapy right for someone dealing with a traumatic event or sudden loss?

Yes. Dr. Hollander works with clients who’ve experienced traumatic events, including sudden deaths and unexpected losses. These often lead to grief reactions that feel overwhelming or confusing. Therapy offers tools for emotional processing, helping you make sense of what happened without rushing your healing.

I’ve tried therapy before. How is this different?

This isn’t surface-level work. What sets this approach apart is the emphasis on the therapeutic relationship, where you’re not just heard, but truly understood. Dr. Hollander also brings decades of experience as a mental health practitioner and licensed professional, offering a depth many find missing from past therapy experiences.

Do you offer online support groups or virtual sessions?

Yes. In addition to one-on-one therapy, Dr. Hollander offers online support groups for clients who want social support and connection with others facing similar losses. These groups provide a supportive environment where grief is acknowledged, not minimized.

What if I feel stuck in grief that won’t lift, even after a long time?

This could be a sign of complicated bereavement or prolonged grief disorder. In these cases, unresolved emotions may interfere with relationships, sleep, work, or your ability to focus. Therapy helps clients engage with grief rather than avoid it, allowing for progress without forcing closure.

Is this therapy appropriate if I’m grieving a husband’s death or the loss of a partner?

Absolutely. Many people enter grief therapy after a husband’s death or the loss of a life partner. These are deeply entwined, close relationships, and their absence can reshape identity. Therapy supports clients as they rebuild their inner world and learn how to move forward while honoring that connection.

What qualifications does Dr. Hollander have to offer this kind of support?

Dr. Hollander holds a Ph.D. in Social Work, is a licensed professional, and brings years of clinical experience as a therapist and former social worker. Her expertise in grief and loss gives clients confidence in the support they receive.

What happens after I reach out?

Once you contact the office, you’ll be guided through a brief consultation and scheduling process. If therapy feels like the right fit, you’ll begin regular sessions and can follow up through email or phone between appointments. This is about finding the right professional help, at the right time, in a space where you can experience strong emotions and still feel held.