Grief Therapists in East Town, Milwaukee, WI

Hello! I'm Tessa (she/they) and I provide therapy for adults (18+) who are experiencing a wide variety of mental health concerns including depression, anxiety, grief, trauma, life transitions, interpersonal issues, and more. As a queer therapist, I am especially passionate about working with individuals who identify within the LGBTQ+ community. In my sessions, I help my clients explore how their own self-concept influences how they interact with the world, as well as understanding the external and internal influences that may be impacting your mental health.

Do you feel like you are struggling in the darkness of depression, grief or trauma? Do you feel stuck, lost or numb? Is anger affecting your relationships, work or other aspects of your life? Do you regularly feel anxious or unsettled? We are passionate about supporting others in finding the path towards mental wellness. This includes creating a safe space to explore your feelings, process past traumatic experiences and develop healthy, helpful coping tools. You don’t have to do this alone. We want to help you find light in the darkness and restore the hope you’ve lost.

Would you like to transform your life issues into growth and have a deeper connection to your body, health and purpose? I listen with compassion, offer insight, and support you in finding practical solutions for your life issues: depression, anxiety, anger, relationship problems or something else. Over time I will expose you to body-based methods for physical and emotional renewal. Our work might include mindfulness, breath, movement or other body based techniques, which increases self-awareness and empowerment. Finding an understanding of these changes in the context of spirituality is supported if you find this useful.

Whether you are struggling with parenthood, having frequent conflicts with your partner, grieving a loss, trying to establish healthy boundaries with family and friends, or working to understand yourself better — having someone to help support you through that process with empathy, insight, and guidance can be life changing. I have a masters in the field of psychology, am married and a mother of four, and worked in a day treatment clinic for children doing individual, family, and group therapy so I have seen a lot. You are not alone and I have strategies and techniques to start helping you right now.

Are you ready to end your struggle with negative self-talk, disruptive behaviors, unhealthy relationships, constant anxiety or depressed thoughts? Some common thoughts my clients express are: “My anxiety is paralyzing,” “I always end up in these destructive relationships,” “I’ll never find the right person,” “I’m a terrible parent,” “I’m such a failure,” “I keep making the same mistakes,” “I’ll never be good enough.” I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to keep feeling this way. You don’t have to stay disconnected and lonely, anxious or overwhelmed. Change is possible. Congratulations on beginning this process.

I am a licensed professional counselor who earned a Master's degree in psychotherapy from Marquette University. I have a breadth of experience working with adults in both individual and group settings. I primarily work with people seeking help with depression, anxiety, PTSD, life transitions, relationship issues, loneliness, trauma, grief, boundaries, substance abuse, stress management, or adjustment issues. I have found it very helpful to approach therapy from a holistic mindset with special focus on the therapeutic relationship.

With over 14 years of experience, my belief is that seeking out counseling services is a brave and proactive way to improve one’s quality of life. I strive to tailor all of my clients’ therapeutic journeys to their respective individual hopes, goals and needs to leave them feeling more complete, joyful, and with a greater understanding of themselves than prior to entering therapy. I aim to create a warm, kind, inclusive and safe therapeutic space that is free of judgment and open to what the client brings to each session. I particularly enjoy working with clients through transitional periods in their life.

Seeking therapy is both an admirable and courageous first step in your journey towards wellness as defined by you. Whether you are facing a difficult life transition, wish to manage distressing mental health symptoms, or would like help identifying and breaking free from patterns that are interfering with your personal growth, you deserve an emotionally safe and judgement-free space to explore any and all facets of your life. Each client has unique needs, therefore there is no one-size-fits-all approach to mental health.

If you’re in a moment of transition; experiencing anger, anxiety, grief, depression, then I want to connect with you. I see my role as to provide an accepting, warm and nurturing environment where you can comfortably express your feelings. I believe that no emotion is wrong but there are healthy and helpful ways to process them that we can access together. My therapeutic approach is direct and unique to each individual I work with. No two people are alike and your treatment shouldn't be either.

Life gets difficult. -Our distress may make us uncomfortable, overwhelmed, anxious, angry, sad or depressed. -Maybe we have experienced job loss, a big move, had a significant relationship end, or experienced a major shift, change, or transition in our life. -Really, we want to feel "better" and "happier", but how do we get there? Short-term counseling or coaching can help, while sometimes we needed to address deeper pain and patterns in long-term psychotherapy. Each of us is different, but maybe you found your way here because you are ready to let go, ready to grow, and ready for something new, different, and better for your life.

Finding the right therapist can be a daunting task especially at a time in your life when you may be feeling vulnerable, confused, and alone. I offer a caring, compassionate ear and a wealth of practical experience to gently guide you as you find the courage to embrace the next steps in your life’s journey.

Seeking therapy is a courageous first step towards better understanding how past and current experiences impact individual wellbeing. I believe the most important part of treatment is establishing a trusting client-therapist relationship. I work to build a warm, open environment so you feel safe when sharing difficult thoughts and feelings. There are times in life when our usual coping strategies are not enough and feelings of helplessness and inadequacy can take over. Therapy can help to successfully navigate life's challenges and make positive changes that will contribute to improved feelings of competence in managing relationships, transitions, and other stressors more productively.

Life is filled with peaks and valleys and it is my goal to help you navigate life's challenges and aid in your personal growth to become the best and healthiest version of yourself. I view therapy as a collaborative process and believe that you are the expert in your own life. I provide a safe and supportive space for you to start doing the deep and rewarding work of facing your struggles and moving towards a more fulfilling and meaningful life.

I am experienced therapist who helps individuals and couples address challenges, enrich relationships and achieve deep insights into their personality and their emotions. My clients find that I offer a pragmatic, intelligent and empathetic response to their concerns. I focus on the immediate challenges that my clients are facing, while helping them to see themselves and their relationships in deeper way.

If you are looking for clarity, increased self-awareness and ways to accept and/or change the challenging areas in your life, I'm here to help. I specialize in couples and utilize a collaborative approach to understand all the parts of yourself and/or your partner. I also work closely with those in the perinatal and parenthood period of life who are looking to increase self-care, maintain healthy boundaries and communicate effectively. Finding balance in life can be hard and therapy is a great space to explore these issues, uncover your unique strengths and learn new skills to improve your life and relationships.

Reggie Thirus is a licensed professional counselor who graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee in 2016. Reggie has been counseling for 6 years. Reggie works with adults, individuals and couples. Reggie has experience working with mood issues, LGBT issues, relationship issues, trauma issues and parenting issues. Reggie works with clients to help them change their negative thought and behavior patterns, helps them to recognize and understand more about their feelings and helps clients develop a more authentic self. Reggie enjoys exercise, listening to good music and getting outdoors to spend time in the sun.

We view challenges as an opportunity for growth. Life challenges us with difficulties including depression, anxiety, illness, growing up and getting older. We often try to conceal our struggles with smiles or withdraw from those around us.

My approach to psychotherapy is focused on building a strong and collaborative relationship with you, the client, working with you to provide immediate symptom relief and make sustainable change. My style is warm, curious, and engaged. I provide a safe and confidential space for you to share your story. I am influenced by the psychodynamic tradition, focusing on how you relate to yourself and others. As you begin to feel understood, accepted, and more deeply known in therapy, a trusting therapeutic relationship develops. This results in greater self-understanding and leads to change, including immediate symptom relief and longer-term transformation.

Pamela Safran Grzesk is a mental health therapist with over 10 years of experience, specializing in crisis counseling, symptom management, and life transitions. Pamela's counseling style is Person-centered and integrative, utilizing evidence-based practices such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Motivational Interviewing to help people build insight and create lasting change in their lives. She celebrates human diversity and utilizes an understanding of various cultural and spiritual factors to partner with clients on their journeys of healing and wellness.