Grief Counseling in Carlsbad, CA
One-on-one support for the loss that's changed everything with someone trained to walk through it with you.
Who This Is For
Maybe it was sudden — a call you never saw coming. Maybe you've been watching someone you love get sicker for months, grieving them before they're even gone. Or maybe this is the third or fourth loss in a short stretch of time, and you're not sure how much more you can carry.
You're someone who usually has it together. You manage a lot — a career, a household, other people's needs — and you're good at it. But this is different. You're second-guessing whether you're "doing grief right," feeling flashes of guilt or anger you didn't expect, and noticing that the people around you don't quite know what to say anymore.
Who This Is For
Maybe it was sudden — a call you never saw coming. Maybe you've been watching someone you love get sicker for months, grieving them before they're even gone. Or maybe this is the third or fourth loss in a short stretch of time, and you're not sure how much more you can carry.
You're someone who usually has it together. You manage a lot — a career, a household, other people's needs — and you're good at it. But this is different. You're second-guessing whether you're "doing grief right," feeling flashes of guilt or anger you didn't expect, and noticing that the people around you don't quite know what to say anymore.
Meet Michelle
Michelle Bourgerie is a Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist and Associate Professional Clinical Counselor based in Carlsbad, California, specializing in grief and loss. Her clinical training includes a counseling internship at Elizabeth Hospice, and she brings 20 years of Human Resources leadership experience to working with professionals and high-achievers whose grief is colliding with the demands of a full life.
Meet Michelle
Michelle Bourgerie is a Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist and Associate Professional Clinical Counselor based in Carlsbad, California, specializing in grief and loss. Her clinical training includes a counseling internship at Elizabeth Hospice, and she brings 20 years of Human Resources leadership experience to working with professionals and high-achievers whose grief is colliding with the demands of a full life.
What We'll Work Through Together
Sudden or traumatic loss
Anticipatory grief while caring for a loved one with a serious illness
Multiple losses in a short period of time
Grief that shows up as guilt, anger, numbness, or confusion — not just sadness
Feeling like you should be "further along" than you are
Carrying grief while still holding down a career, a household, or a family
How We Work
In-person at our Carlsbad office, or telehealth from anywhere in California
Midday appointment availability for professionals with flexible schedules
A brief initial consultation to see if it's the right fit with no pressure and no long intake forms
Ready to talk?
Schedule a brief consultation with Michelle to see if it's the right fit.
Frequently Asked Questions
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There's no single "normal" way to grieve. Anger, numbness, relief, guilt, and sadness can all show up sometimes in the same day. Part of the work is understanding your own grief instead of measuring it against someone else's.
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People close to you care, but they're often grieving too, or unsure what to say. A therapist gives you a dedicated space with someone trained to help you process it, not just listen, but help you build structure around a experience that can feel formless.
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No. Most clients choose private pay for the privacy and flexibility it offers. Aetna and Cigna are accepted if you'd prefer to use insurance.
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Grief doesn't run on a fixed timeline. Whether your loss was last month or last year, if it's still affecting how you're functioning, it's a reasonable time to get support.
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Yes! Sessions are available in-person in Carlsbad or via telehealth anywhere in California.