Finding Support Through Grief and Change
Grief and major life transitions touch everyone at some point in life — yet when they arrive, they can feel deeply isolating. Whether you’re mourning the loss of a loved one, navigating divorce, adjusting to retirement, or facing a major life change, it’s natural to feel uncertain or overwhelmed.
At Atlantic Coast Counseling in the New Hampshire Seacoast area, therapist Stephanie O’Shaughnessy, LMHC, offers compassionate, professional support through grief and life transitions therapy. Her approach helps clients find understanding, balance, and renewed purpose as they navigate difficult emotional terrain.
From Portsmouth and Exeter to Dover, Hampton, and surrounding Seacoast communities, Atlantic Coast Counseling provides a safe and caring environment for those seeking healing and growth through change.
What Is Grief & Life Transitions Therapy?
Grief and life transitions therapy is a specialized form of counseling designed to help you process loss, adapt to change, and rediscover meaning in your life.
Loss takes many forms, and therapy can support you through:
- The death of a loved one
- Divorce or the end of a relationship
- Career loss or change
- Retirement or empty nest transitions
- Health challenges or disability
- Relocation or life changes that alter your sense of identity
Grief therapy isn’t about “getting over it.” It’s about finding ways to honor your loss, understand your emotions, and create space for healing and growth. With compassionate guidance, you can move toward acceptance while still carrying your memories and experiences with love.
The Emotional Impact of Grief
Grief can affect every part of your being — emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual. Many people experience:
- Sadness, anger, or guilt
- Fatigue or disrupted sleep
- Loss of focus or motivation
- Withdrawal from friends or loved ones
- Physical symptoms like headaches or appetite changes
If you’ve been struggling to move forward or feeling “stuck,” therapy can help you gently untangle those emotions and begin to heal in your own time and way.
At Atlantic Coast Counseling, Stephanie O’Shaughnessy provides a supportive, nonjudgmental space where your grief is honored, not rushed. Together, you can begin to make sense of your loss and build emotional resilience for the future.
How Therapy Helps During Major Life Transitions
Not all change comes through loss — but even positive transitions can bring stress and uncertainty. Whether you’re starting a new job, entering retirement, becoming a parent, or relocating, transitions challenge your sense of stability and identity.
Life transitions therapy helps you:
- Understand and manage the emotions that accompany change
- Build coping strategies and self-compassion
- Reconnect with your values, purpose, and strengths
- Adjust to new roles and routines
- Develop a renewed sense of confidence and direction
Stephanie draws from evidence-based approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and mindfulness-based practices. These methods help clients build awareness, process emotions, and make meaningful choices as they move through change.
About Atlantic Coast Counseling
Atlantic Coast Counseling serves individuals across the New Hampshire Seacoast region, including Portsmouth, Exeter, Dover, Hampton, and surrounding areas.
Therapist Stephanie O’Shaughnessy, LMHC, provides individual therapy for adults experiencing grief, loss, anxiety, and major life transitions. She believes in creating a warm, accepting environment where clients can explore their emotions, discover new perspectives, and develop the tools they need to thrive.
Sessions are available in-person or via secure telehealth for those living in New Hampshire and southern Maine.
What to Expect in Grief & Life Transitions Therapy
Your first few sessions with Stephanie will focus on understanding your story — the changes you’re facing, the emotions you’re carrying, and what you need most right now. Together, you’ll explore coping skills, self-care tools, and ways to gently integrate your loss into your life narrative.
Therapy may include:
- Talking through your loss or transition at your own pace
- Identifying emotional triggers and healthy coping strategies
- Learning mindfulness and grounding techniques
- Exploring new meaning and identity after change
- Developing realistic, compassionate goals for healing
Every person’s journey is different, and Stephanie tailors each session to meet your unique needs and pace.
The Power of Community and Connection
The Seacoast of New Hampshire offers many opportunities to complement your healing journey. In addition to therapy, local support groups, mindfulness classes, and community resources can enhance your sense of connection and well-being.
Taking walks along the ocean, spending time in nature, or engaging in creative outlets can also help support your emotional health. Therapy can help you identify these resources and use them to strengthen your healing process.
When to Reach Out for Help
If you’ve been feeling weighed down by sadness, anxiety, or confusion after a loss or major life change, you don’t have to navigate it alone. Professional support can make a profound difference in how you heal and rebuild your sense of self.
Consider reaching out for grief or life transitions therapy if you:
- Feel unable to move forward after a loss
- Experience frequent sadness, guilt, or emptiness
- Have difficulty functioning at work or home
- Feel disconnected from your sense of purpose
- Want guidance adjusting to a new phase of life
Healing and Hope Are Possible
Grief and change may alter your path, but they do not define you. With the right support, you can rediscover balance, resilience, and hope. Therapy offers a space to honor your story, release what’s holding you back, and embrace life with renewed clarity and compassion.
At Atlantic Coast Counseling, Stephanie O’Shaughnessy is here to walk beside you as you heal and grow through life’s transitions.
Begin Your Healing Journey Today
You don’t have to go through grief or major life changes alone. Compassionate, professional support is available right here on the New Hampshire Seacoast.
Contact Atlantic Coast Counseling today to schedule your first session:
📞 Phone: 603.550.7223
📧 Email: hello@atlanticcoastcounseling.com
Take the first step toward healing, balance, and a renewed sense of purpose.