An Apprenticeship to Sorrow

Grief Therapist and Counselor in NYC

Depth-oriented grief therapy and grief and loss counseling, online anywhere in New York State, for anyone carrying a loss the world expects them to be over.

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An empty chair beside a window in a quiet Brooklyn room, soft afternoon light

Grief Counseling That Lets Grief Change Shape

Much of therapy treats grief as a problem to fix - stages to complete, a symptom to reduce, a state to move beyond. I do not work that way. Grief is love with nowhere to go, and it deserves a witness rather than a cure.

Grief also does not move in a straight line. It changes shape - sharp and close one day, quiet in the background the next, moving through anger, numbness, and unexpected gratitude within the same hour. When we stop demanding that it disappear and let it change shape instead, something loosens. The work is to help your grief become something you can live alongside.

A bare tree against a pale sky in a Brooklyn park

Grief and Loss Therapy That Helps You Carry What Has Slipped From View

What you have lost does not vanish because time passes. The relationship continues; it simply takes a new form. The love you carried can become a living part of how you move through the world, a part of you that stays intact, rather than freezing into depression.

Left unattended, grief can flatten into isolation. Approached with care, it does the opposite: it deepens you, clarifies what matters, and keeps you close to the people and meaning you might otherwise hold at arm's length. This is slow, reverent work. Therapy of this kind is about living so that what you lost is carried, and stays with you.

What Grief and Loss Therapy Helps With

People come to grief and loss therapy for many kinds of loss, online, anywhere in New York State. All of them belong here.

The death of a loved one - a parent, partner, child, sibling, or friend
Young adults grieving a parent or a friend, often the first person their age to carry this
The loss of a pet, and the grief that surprises you with its depth
Divorce, separation, or the end of a significant relationship
Anticipatory grief - living alongside a loved one's terminal illness
The loss of an identity, a career, a home, or a sense of purpose
Miscarriage, infertility, or reproductive loss
Grief that resurfaces years later, sometimes without warning
The feeling that no one around you understands what you are carrying

A folded blanket on the arm of a chair in an empty room

Avi Steinhardt, LCSW, grief counselor and therapist in NYC

How I Work With Grief

I am Avi Steinhardt, a licensed clinical social worker. The etymology of psychotherapist is soul attendant, and there is no deeper soul work than learning to live in the presence of what is gone. My approach draws on Gestalt therapy and relational psychodynamic work, held with the deepest reverence for what you are carrying.

Every session is held online, anywhere in New York State. The week after a loss is rarely the week anyone wants to add a subway ride to.

You can read more about Avi and this practice, read about disenfranchised grief, the losses no one sends a card for, or explore the couples therapy work for partners navigating a loss together.

Avi Steinhardt, LCSW

Common Questions About Grief Therapy

What is the difference between a grief therapist and a grief counselor?

The terms overlap. Grief counseling often means shorter-term support around a recent loss. The grief therapy I offer is depth-oriented and open-ended, less about managing symptoms and more about your ongoing, changing relationship to what you lost.

Do I need to live near the practice?

No. Every session is held by secure video, anywhere in New York State, so where you sit for it matters less than that the hour is protected.

Is grief therapy online as effective as sitting in a room together?

For grief, often more so. The hour happens in your own space, with your own things around you, and there is no lobby to compose yourself in afterward. Every session is by secure video, anywhere in New York State.

Is there a right amount of time to grieve?

No. Grief has its own timing and does not follow a schedule. Anyone telling you that you should be over it by now is mistaken. We work at the pace your grief actually moves.

Can grief therapy help with a loss from years ago?

Yes. Grief often resurfaces years later, sometimes without warning. A loss you thought you had processed can ask for attention again. That is grief changing shape, and it is workable.

Do you work with anticipatory grief and losses that are not a death?

Yes. Grief includes anticipatory loss while a loved one is still living, as well as divorce, illness, the loss of an identity or a career, and reproductive loss. If it mattered to you, it belongs here.

Do you work with young adults who are grieving?

Yes. Losing a parent or a close friend in your twenties or thirties often means being the only person you know who has, and the people around you may not know what to say. That isolation is part of what we work with.

What does grief therapy cost, and do you take insurance?

I will tell you the fee on our first call, before you book anything. This is a private-pay practice, with out-of-network superbills available on request.

Begin Grief Therapy When You're Ready

I begin with a free 15-minute consultation - a short conversation to understand what you are carrying and whether this work feels right.

Limited availability. Online, anywhere in New York State.

Request a Private Consultation

171 Windsor Pl, Brooklyn, NY 11215 · (646) 712-4595

Request a Private Consultation

You don't need the words ready. Share a little about what's bringing you here, and I'll be in touch personally.

171 Windsor Pl, Brooklyn, NY 11215(646) 712-4595

In Their Words

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My husband and I found Avi when we were in a dark place. Avi was thoughtful, patient with us - and funny!

My husband and I found Avi when we were in a dark place. Avi was thoughtful, patient with us - and funny! We didn't know what we were looking for, but we found a fellow artist. He's so soulful, and he has this magical ability to help you unwind yourself. For that, we're grateful. We've asked him to work with our teenagers, family members, even friends. He's truly singular.

Rachel T. - artist, actor

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Since working with Avi, I've grown into the person I want to be - more self-aware, confident, and in touch with my needs.

Since working with Avi, I've grown into the person I want to be - more self-aware, confident, and in touch with my needs. He's truly exceptional, and working with him has been a gift!

Isabelle L. - performance artist

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Avi Steinhardt was an amazing counselor for myself and my family. His kind understanding, and knowledge helped me.

Avi Steinhardt was an amazing counselor for myself and my family. His kind understanding, and knowledge helped me get through a very stressful part of my life, being a single mom.

Theresa B. - social worker

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When I speak with Avi, I feel more than heard. His patience has allowed that enlightenment to occur organically.

When I speak with Avi, I feel more than heard. His patience has allowed that enlightenment to occur organically, and though the positive impact on my life has been nothing short of massive, the process has always felt simple, human, and caring.

Jack W. - filmmaker, collagist

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Avi has helped us better understand ourselves and each other, which has had a meaningful impact on our relationship.

We came to Avi because we felt trapped in arguments that would end with neither of us feeling understood. Avi has helped us better understand ourselves and each other, which has had a meaningful impact on the quality of our relationship. We feel more trusting and appreciative of one another and experience less escalation during times of conflict.

Brooke P. - PR executive