Elizabeth Mellin, PhD, LPC, ACS

Many queer and trans people carry grief shaped by experiences that others may not fully understand. For some, this includes the loss of partners, chosen family, or friends who were central sources of support. Others are living with losses connected to earlier experiences that continue to shape the present. For others, grief may be connected to broader community histories, including periods when LGBTQ+ lives and relationships were not openly recognized or supported. Some losses have never been fully acknowledged or supported by others, which can make grief feel especially isolating. This is often called disenfranchised grief or grief that is not widely recognized or supported. It may include the loss of chosen family, estranged or complicated relationships, community loss, pet loss, or grief connected to earlier trauma. When grief is not recognized by others, it can feel especially isolating. Therapy can offer a place where grief is witnessed and honored with compassion rather than rushed or minimized. My work is grounded in humanistic, compassion-focused, and trauma-informed therapy, with attention to mindfulness and nervous system care. Rather than trying to fix grief, I offer steady companionship while clients move through loss at their own pace. This practice centers queer and trans clients and is especially welcoming to LGBTQ+ elders and others navigating caregiving and end-of-life transitions. Grief often brings questions about meaning, identity, connection, and legacy. Therapy can offer a steady place to explore these experiences while honoring the love and relationships that remain part of the story. I am a lesbian therapist with lived experience of disenfranchised grief. My work is informed by advanced training in trauma-informed therapy, mindfulness, compassion-focused therapy, and nervous system care. Reaching out for support during grief can feel vulnerable. Those seeking a compassionate place to bring their grief are warmly invited to reach out to see if working together feels like a good fit.