Compassionate grief counseling in Santa Barbara – in person or online.
Grief after the death of a loved one can feel overwhelming, leaving you struggling to breathe, think, or sleep. You may be seeking support yet unsure where to begin in this difficult time. Our support groups and individual counseling in Santa Barbara create a safe space to talk openly, share tears, and let the healing process begin with compassionate, skilled guidance.
Understanding Our Bereavement Services in Santa Barbara CA
Riviera Therapy blends professional counseling, support groups, and collaborative community resources to deliver flexible bereavement services. One-to-one sessions let you process emotions at your own pace and design personal coping plans that protect both mental and physical health.
Many adults, teens, and even grieving children find extra strength in peer group meetings. These gatherings remind you that Santa Barbara offers a caring community devoted to collective healing. Whether trauma or depression complicates your loss, our integrated approach helps you move toward a fuller life while continuing to love and honor the person who has passed.
Sessions happen in our calming State Street office, through secure telehealth for anyone in Santa Barbara CA, or alongside local hospice care teams already serving your family.
What We Do
- Facilitate weekly support groups for shared stories, comfort, and coping skills
- Provide individual counseling tailored to each relationship, culture, and stage of life
- Coordinate with hospice care and medical staff for seamless services
- Teach nervous-system tools that help you cope with intense emotions and physical pain
- Offer EMDR for trauma tied to sudden death or distressing images
- Guide memorial rituals that let friends, parents, and children honor their loved one
These steps keep the healing process moving. You learn to breathe through waves of sorrow, regain energy, and carry the memory of your loved one forward without drowning in it.
Why Choose Riviera Therapy
- Licensed grief counselors. Each counselor specializes in bereavement, trauma, and family relationship dynamics.
- Multiple paths to support. Mix support groups, private sessions, and adjunct services as your needs change.
- Inclusive and affirming. We welcome every identity and family structure; LGBTQ+ allied and culturally sensitive.
- Integrated health focus. We consider sleep, nutrition, and overall health so mind and body heal together.
- Community collaboration. We partner with local hospice, schools, and faith leaders to widen your net of support.
Serving Santa Barbara and the Wider Community
Located at 1515 State Street, close to the Mission and on the 101 bus line, we serve the Riviera, Mesa, Goleta, Carpinteria, and beyond. If you cannot travel, online support groups and private sessions bring professional counseling to your living room or hospice bedside. You can grieve and heal wherever you are.
Ready to Begin Your Healing Process?
You do not have to grieve alone. Call, email, or join one of our support groups to see how individual counseling or other bereavement services can help you find relief. Your first 15-minute consultation is free and low-pressure. You will receive straightforward information and steady support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our support groups meet weekly for 90-minute sessions led by a licensed grief counselor. Members share stories, practice coping skills, and receive support from peers on a similar journey.
We offer professional counseling, family-centered bereavement services, age-specific support groups, and collaboration with hospice care teams. Options include EMDR, narrative therapy, ritual planning, and community memorial events.
Yes. We run separate groups for teens and younger children to help them process big emotions in an age-appropriate, engaging way.
Grief has no timetable, but many people notice movement from raw pain toward calmer days within eight to twelve weeks. Others benefit from longer support as new layers surface over the course of life milestones.
We work out-of-network. Clients often seek reimbursement through PPO plans, HSAs, or hospice bereavement benefits. We provide superbills and guidance to help navigate the paperwork.
Gentle movement, balanced meals, creative expression, and staying connected to community all support ongoing healing. Your therapist will personalize a plan that fits your routine and overall health.
