About Me
I know what it’s like to face adversity, and I understand how overwhelming grief and loss can feel.
Whether you're coping with the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, or another significant life change, you're not meant to go through it alone.
Grief can make it hard to see a way forward, but healing is possible. With support and guidance, you can begin to process your pain, reconnect with yourself, and rediscover joy and
meaning in your life.
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of helping many individuals navigate the complex emotions of grief. And I truly believe that no matter where you are right now, there is hope for a brighter future.
Why I became a therapist
My path to becoming a therapist was shaped by personal experience and a deep desire to help others navigate pain, trauma, and healing. I come from a hardworking family who has gone through adversity and trauma, where resilience was necessary for
survival. While there was love and dedication, there was also a legacy of generational trauma, marked by poverty, substance use, abuse, and silence. Growing up, I witnessed the impact of this trauma firsthand. Violence, particularly within the home, was something we didn’t speak about—because confronting it felt uneasy. As a child and young adult, I internalized the message that abuse was something to endure, not address. This made it easier, even natural, for me to fall into a relationship in my early
adulthood that mirrored the dysfunction I had seen growing up—one that was emotionally and physically abusive. At the time, I didn’t recognize the patterns. It took years of self-reflection, support, and education to untangle the roots of those experiences. But through that process, I realized how many people carry similar wounds—often in silence, often blaming themselves. I wanted to be someone who could help break that cycle.
My academic journey brought clarity and direction to this calling. While pursuing my undergraduate degree, I immersed myself in work that deeply resonated with me. I co-facilitated grief groups for adults who had experienced profound loss—parents who lost children, spouses grieving partners, siblings mourning siblings. This work opened my eyes to the transformative power of support, deepening my desire to help people navigate pain and find healing.
Other work I did during my undergrad was working with sexual assault survivors and domestic abuse survivors through a program called Strengh United. During this program I was able to help those that were currently going through something I had once gone through. I was able to be a support system for those that had less resources or did not speak English.
Aligning myself with the survivors helped to empower them while they were in such a vulnerable state after the abuse. It reminded me how I wish someone would have supported me at a time when I was in an abusive relationship.
About
I know what it’s like to face adversity, and I understand how overwhelming grief and loss can feel.
Whether you're coping with the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, or another significant life change, you're not meant to go through it alone.
Grief can make it hard to see a way forward, but healing is possible. With support and guidance, you can begin to process your pain, reconnect with yourself, and rediscover joy and
meaning in your life.
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of helping many individuals navigate the complex emotions of grief. And I truly believe that no matter where you are right now, there is hope for a brighter future.
Why I became a therapist
My path to becoming a therapist was shaped by personal experience and a deep desire to help others navigate pain, trauma, and healing. I come from a hardworking family who has gone through adversity and trauma, where resilience was necessary for
survival. While there was love and dedication, there was also a legacy of generational trauma, marked by poverty, substance use, abuse, and silence. Growing up, I witnessed the impact of this trauma firsthand. Violence, particularly within the home, was something we didn’t speak about—because confronting it felt uneasy. As a child and young adult, I internalized the message that abuse was something to endure, not address. This made it easier, even natural, for me to fall into a relationship in my early
adulthood that mirrored the dysfunction I had seen growing up—one that was emotionally and physically abusive. At the time, I didn’t recognize the patterns. It took years of self-reflection, support, and education to untangle the roots of those experiences. But through that process, I realized how many people carry similar wounds—often in silence, often blaming themselves. I wanted to be someone who could help break that cycle.
My academic journey brought clarity and direction to this calling. While pursuing my undergraduate degree, I immersed myself in work that deeply resonated with me. I co-facilitated grief groups for adults who had experienced profound loss—parents who lost children, spouses grieving partners, siblings mourning siblings. This work opened my eyes to the transformative power of support, deepening my desire to help people navigate pain and find healing.
Other work I did during my undergrad was working with sexual assault survivors and domestic abuse survivors through a program called Strengh United. During this program I was able to help those that were currently going through something I had once gone through. I was able to be a support system for those that had less resources or did not speak English.
Aligning myself with the survivors helped to empower them while they were in such a vulnerable state after the abuse. It reminded me how I wish someone would have supported me at a time when I was in an abusive relationship.
My approach to therapy:
When working with individuals or couples grieving a loss of a loved one, I always show empathy and understanding.
I help couples, if they have lost a child, see the point of view of the other parent; help them find ways to meet their partner where they are at; and also come to a place of acceptance of their own grief.
People who have worked with me say they feel understood, without being judged. You are challenged in a loving way to feel and honor what you feel, without feeling like it has to look or be a certain way. I help clients feel comfortable, open, and engaged while processing their grief.
When working with individuals grieving the loss of a relationship, I always show empathy and understanding, while also having a direct approach to help the client feel empowered and see their accountability in the relationship.
Feeling lost is a common response to losing a relationship. Many feel like they will fail without their partner.
By helping them see their strengths, and by helping them redefine who they are, they can begin to build a new life that does not include their ex partner.
What I like to do for fun
I love outdoor walks and small hikes; yet I am also a homebody who sometimes loves to dive into binge watching Netflix, or read a good book related to psychology, self help, or empowerment.
I enjoy spending time with my son and watching his basketball games, making a home cooked meal with my family, spending one on one time with close friends, and sharing deep meaningful conversations.
Quotes I find inspiring:
The only cure to grief is to grieve. - Earl Grollman
Forgive others not because they deserve forgiveness but because you deserve peace. - Jonathan Lockwood Hule
What we once enjoyed and deeply loved we can never lose, for all that we love deeply becomes part of us.- Helen Keller
People who have truly and immensely loved each other are the ones that will handle the loss of the loved one gracefully. Sadhguru
Grief is not a sign that you're unwell or unevolved. It's a sign that love has been part of your life, and that you want love to continue even here. - Marcus Aurelius
My approach to therapy:
When working with individuals or couples grieving a loss of a loved one, I always show empathy and understanding.
I help couples, if they have lost a child, see the point of view of the other parent; help them find ways to meet their partner where they are at; and also come to a place of acceptance of their own grief.
People who have worked with me say they feel understood, without being judged. You are challenged in a loving way to feel and honor what you feel, without feeling like it has to look or be a certain way. I help clients feel comfortable, open, and engaged while processing their grief.
When working with individuals grieving the loss of a relationship, I always show empathy and understanding, while also having a direct approach to help the client feel empowered and see their accountability in the relationship.
Feeling lost is a common response to losing a relationship. Many feel like they will fail without their partner.
By helping them see their strengths, and by helping them redefine who they are, they can begin to build a new life that does not include their ex partner.
What I like to do for fun
I love outdoor walks and small hikes; yet I am also a homebody who sometimes loves to dive into binge watching Netflix, or read a good book related to psychology, self help, or empowerment.
I enjoy spending time with my son and watching his basketball games, making a home cooked meal with my family, spending one on one time with close friends, and sharing deep meaningful conversations.
Quotes I find inspiring:
The only cure to grief is to grieve. - Earl Grollman
A person is limited only by the thoughts that he chooses. - James Allen
Forgive others not because they deserve forgiveness but because you deserve peace. - Jonathan Lockwood Hule
What we once enjoyed and deeply loved we can never lose, for all that we love deeply becomes part of us. - Helen Keller
People who have truly and immensely loved each other are the ones that will handle the loss of the loved one gracefully. - Sadhguru
Grief is not a sign that you're unwell or unevolved. It's a sign that love has been part of your life, and that you want love to continue even here. - Marcus Aurelius
You don’t have to go at it alone
I would love to support you during this difficult time, and help you restore the happiness in your life. Reach out to me today to schedule a free 15 minute consultation.
I hope to hear from you.
You don’t have to go at it alone
I would love to support you during this difficult time, and help you restore the happiness in your life. Reach out to me today to schedule a free 15 minute consultation. I hope to hear from you.
Contact Me Now
About Me
We are a therapy practice offering Grief therapy services online throughout California.
Licensed Provider
Maribel Alaniz Mendez, LMFT #153790, APCC #28898
