Our licensed staff includes: Laura Marshak, Ph.D. Jean McClung, Ph.D. Milton Seligman, Ph.D. M. Linda Boyle, M.A. LPC Michelle Geckle, M.A. Cynthia Lausberg, Ph.D Holly Branthoover, Ph.D. Allyson Havill, M.S.N., PH.D.         We provide the following services: Individual Therapy Couples Counseling Group Therapy Grief Therapy Play Therapy Parent Education / Child Therapy Family Therapy         For further information, or to schedule an appointment, contact us at: (412) 367-7781 (Phone answers 24 hours) 5000 McKnight Rd. Suite 207 Click here for map

Grief Therapy

Death is a normal part of life every day, but we don't see it or experience it everyday. When death becomes concrete and real in our lives, it doesn't seem at all normal. People are surprised at the intensity and range of their emotions: shock, anger, fear, guilt, relief, loneliness and confusion are all normal reactions to grief.

Grief therapy helps validate and normalize a person's experience by providing a safe environment to talk about the circumstances of the death, the role of that person in the family and the losses associated with the death. Many people have a linear, "let's fix it and move on" expectation of the grief process. However, grief does not necessarily fit a particular model. It is linear then cyclical.. The effort to return to "normal" must be reframed because "normal" is now different. Grief therapy can clear up the common misconceptions surrounding the loss of someone we love. The love survives but it changes and the change can be very painful. Unresolved grief can compromise a person's immune system and it can create a dysfunctional basis for future relationships.