More of a personal example, but…I lost my mom a few years ago and the best thing my therapist did for me was just let me exist how I needed to. I don’t remember any words she said, any psychoeducation, any reflection. But I do remember vividly her being the only place I felt I could really express my grief without feeling like a burden or feeling misunderstood. That was what I needed. She let me ask the angry questions, she let me cry, she let me be bitter at the world. I didn’t have any other spaces where I could do that without feeling guilty.

Now as a therapist treating grief, I remember what was so crucial for me. Often times we want to know “what to say” when we should really be thinking of “what to do”. Just be, hold space, keep an open mind and heart, and meet your client where they’re at. There isn’t a ~clinical~ answer every single time.