Orlando Outpatient Center offers grief counseling in Maitland, just north of Orlando, as part of our mental health intensive outpatient program (IOP). It is for adults whose loss has become hard to live with: when grief is tangled with depression, anxiety, trauma or drinking and drug use, or when months have passed and nothing seems to ease. Call (407) 968-7717 to talk with our team.
Grief Is Normal. Sometimes It Needs More Support.
Grief is the natural response to losing someone or something that mattered: a death, a divorce, a job, your health or the life you expected. Most people find that the sharpest pain softens over time with support from family, friends and community. For some, it does not. The American Psychiatric Association now recognizes prolonged grief disorder for intense grief that lasts a year or longer after a death and gets in the way of daily life.
Signs grief may need professional help
- Intense longing or preoccupation with the loss most days, long after it happened
- Feeling that part of you died too, or that life has no meaning
- Trouble accepting the loss or avoiding every reminder of it
- Numbness, isolation or pulling away from people you love
- Using alcohol, drugs or medication to get through the day
- Symptoms of depression or anxiety that keep getting worse
- Being unable to work, sleep or take care of yourself
If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 or call 911 right away. IOP is not an emergency service.
Grief and Substance Use
After a loss, some people drink or use more to numb the pain. Over time that can turn into a substance use problem that makes grief harder to work through. Our dual diagnosis approach treats grief-related depression and anxiety together with substance use, so you are not asked to handle one while the other gets worse. Loss can also bring up earlier trauma, which we address too.
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How Grief Counseling Works in Our IOP
Grief work happens inside our mental health IOP, which combines group sessions with individual counseling. Your counselor helps you understand your grief, name what makes it heavier and take steps toward living with the loss. Treatment may include:
- Group therapy with others who understand how loss can change everything
- Individual sessions with your counselor every other week
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for guilt, regret and hopeless thinking
- DBT skills for waves of intense emotion
- Family involvement when a loss affects the whole household
- Practical planning for anniversaries, holidays and other hard days
Grief Counseling in Maitland and Orlando
Our office is at 100 E. Sybelia Ave, Suite 250, in Maitland, convenient to Winter Park, Altamonte Springs, Casselberry and Orlando. Groups meet during the day and on weekday evenings, and Florida residents can attend some sessions by telehealth on Friday and Saturday. Most people take part for up to 12 weeks.
Grief Counseling FAQs
When should I get help for grief?
Consider getting help if grief is still overwhelming months after a loss, if it is getting in the way of work or relationships, or if you are drinking or using drugs to cope.
What is prolonged grief disorder?
It is a diagnosis for intense, persistent grief that lasts at least a year after a death (six months in children) and seriously disrupts daily life. It is treatable.
Do you offer grief counseling in Maitland?
Yes. Orlando Outpatient Center in Maitland offers grief counseling as part of our mental health intensive outpatient program for adults 18 and older.
Can I do grief counseling by telehealth?
Florida residents can attend some IOP sessions by telehealth, including Friday and Saturday groups.
Does insurance cover grief counseling?
Coverage depends on your plan. Call (407) 968-7717 for a free benefits check to see what your plan covers.
