Frequently Asked Questions
About LBGC Services
Who does LBGC serve?
LBGC provides trauma-informed grief and loss support to children, teens, adults, and families experiencing major life changes — including death, divorce, deportation, and abandonment. We are committed to culturally responsive, equitable care for all communities, with particular attention to those who are underserved or at heightened risk.
What services does LBGC offer?
Our services include individual and family psychotherapy, grief support groups, psychoeducation, clinical consultation, and community outreach. All services are delivered by licensed clinicians with specialized training in grief, trauma, and loss. We also treat related symptoms of grief such as stress, burnout, depression and anxiety.
How do I access services?
You can reach us through our website at lbgcenter.org or by submitting an inquiry through our confidential intake process. Our team will connect you with the right level of care for your needs.
What is the cost of your services?
What insurances do you take?
Do you take Medicare?
How does the process work?
We are committed to the idea that everyone, regardless of ability to pay, should have access to quality mental health care. Therefore, we will work with you to find an amount that is comfortable for you, on a sliding scale basis. We also do take insurance.
Do you take virtual visits?
Right now we take Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Aetna and United Healthcare.
Not yet, but it is something we are actively working on and hopefully can offer it soon.
Once you contact us, either by phone or email, we will reach out to you to schedule a short 15 minute phone call. There we will discuss your needs, figure out the payment as well as find a therapist that is right for you. We will then work to find a time that works for both you and the clinician to meet.
When you feel like you need to speak to someone about your grief or loss about a major life event, please reach out. We believe that anyone can benefit from therapy.
When should I seek help?
Absolutely! We will see you both virtually and in any of our locations.
Grief & Trauma
What is traumatic grief?
Traumatic grief occurs when a loss is sudden, violent, unexpected, or otherwise overwhelming. Examples include death by suicide, homicide, overdose, accident, or disaster. Traumatic losses are associated with more intense grief reactions and a greater risk for Prolonged Grief Disorder and PTSD. Specialized, trauma-informed care is particularly important in these situations.
What is ambiguous loss?
Ambiguous loss is a term coined by Dr. Pauline Boss in the 1970s to describe a loss that remains unclear, unconfirmed, or unresolved — and therefore has no clear endpoint for grief. Unlike death, there is no official notice, no funeral, and no community ritual to mark the loss. This absence of closure can leave people feeling frozen, confused, and unable to fully grieve.
There are two types of ambiguous loss:
Physical ambiguous loss: A person is physically absent but remains psychologically present — for example, a parent missing due to deportation, military disappearance, or incarceration. Family members don’t know if the person is safe, coming back, or even alive.
Psychological ambiguous loss: A person is physically present but psychologically or emotionally absent — for example, a parent with dementia, severe addiction, depression, or traumatic brain injury. They are “here but not here.”
Ambiguous loss is especially relevant for the families LBGC serves. Children and families experiencing parental deportation, incarceration, abandonment, or a parent’s cognitive or emotional unavailability are living with ambiguous loss. Because the loss cannot be named or mourned in conventional ways, it is often misunderstood — even by the people experiencing it. Naming it as ambiguous loss is itself a powerful first step toward healing. The therapeutic goal is not closure, but resilience: learning to hold two opposing truths at once, such as “they are both here and also gone.”
What is Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD)?
PGD is an official diagnosis (added to the DSM-5-TR in 2022) for grief that is intensely persistent, lasting beyond normative periods, and significantly interferes with daily functioning. It affects an estimated 10–15% of bereaved individuals. Risk factors include the sudden or violent nature of the death, prior mental health history, anxious attachment style, lack of social support, and a very close relationship with the deceased.
How is grief related to trauma?
Grief and trauma share neurological and psychological pathways. Traumatic loss can activate the body’s stress response system, affecting sleep, memory, concentration, and physical health. Recent research confirms that people experiencing persistent intense grief face higher rates of cardiovascular disease, mental health conditions, and even increased mortality — underscoring why grief support is a public health priority.
Understanding Grief
What is grief?
Grief is the natural, multidimensional response to any significant loss — including death, divorce, deportation, abandonment, or major life change. It affects us emotionally, physically, cognitively, socially, and spiritually. Grief is not a disorder or a sign of weakness; it is evidence of love and human connection.
Is there a "right" way to grieve?
No. Research consistently shows that grief is highly individual. There is no universal timeline, no prescribed set of emotions, and no single path to healing. The idea of fixed "stages" of grief (the Kübler-Ross model) has been largely refined by modern research, which shows that people move through grief in non-linear, personal ways.
How long does grief last?
There is no set timeline. For most people, grief intensifies in the early months and gradually becomes less acute over time. However, grief can resurface at anniversaries, milestones, or unexpected moments — and this is completely normal. Current research emphasizes learning to “live alongside” grief rather than expecting to “get over” it.
What is the difference between grief and mourning?
Grief refers to the internal experience of loss — the thoughts and feelings you carry inside. Mourning is the outward expression of grief, shaped by culture, community, and personal practice. Healthy grieving often involves both allowing yourself to feel grief and finding meaningful ways to express and honor it.
Grief in Children & Families
How do children grieve differently from adults?
Children grieve in bursts, moving in and out of grief more fluidly than adults — sometimes appearing fine one moment and deeply distressed the next. Their understanding of loss deepens as they develop cognitively. Children benefit from honest, age-appropriate explanations; grief that is minimized or hidden can complicate their healing. Bereaved children are at elevated risk for Prolonged Grief Disorder and benefit from early, specialized support.
What types of loss affect children and families?
LBGC recognizes that grief extends beyond death. Children and families grieve many kinds of loss, including:
Death of a parent, sibling, caregiver, or pet
Parental divorce or family separation
Deportation or family separation due to immigration enforcement
Parental incarceration or abandonment
Serious illness, foster care transitions, or community trauma
How does family grief affect the system as a whole?
Loss affects the entire family unit. Research shows that Prolonged Grief Disorder in a parent is associated with increased risk of depression, disrupted parenting, and relational strain. Supporting the family system together — not just the individual — is a cornerstone of effective grief care.
Healing & Treatment
What does effective grief support look like?
Effective grief support is trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and tailored to the individual’s unique experience. Evidence-based approaches include Prolonged Grief Therapy (PGT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) adapted for grief, narrative approaches, and peer support. Research published in 2024–2025 confirms that grief-focused CBT significantly reduces prolonged grief severity in both adults and children.
What is trauma-informed grief care?
Trauma-informed care recognizes the impact of trauma on the body and mind, prioritizes safety and choice, and avoids re-traumatization. At LBGC, all services are delivered through a trauma-informed lens, honoring each person’s cultural background, lived experience, and individual pace of healing.
Can social support make a difference?
Absolutely. Research consistently shows that perceived social support is one of the most important protective factors in grief. Individuals with strong social connections, access to peer support groups, and culturally aligned care experience better outcomes. Conversely, isolation significantly increases the risk of complicated grief.
When should someone seek professional grief support?
We encourage anyone experiencing a significant loss to seek support early — there is no need to be in crisis to benefit from grief services. Signs that professional support may be especially important include difficulty functioning in daily life, intense guilt or anger, social withdrawal, substance use, sleep disruption, or thoughts of self-harm. Early intervention leads to better long-term outcomes.