Kintsugi Grief Center

The people who ask about them years later...

are gifts. 🌻💜

One of the biggest misconceptions about grief is that talking about our loved ones will make us sad or remind us of our loss.

The truth is, most grieving people have not forgotten.

When you say their name, ask about them, or share a memory, you are reminding us that they mattered. That they are still remembered. That their life continues to have meaning.

More often than not, when someone asks about him, her, or them, I light up.

I get the chance to tell a story.
To share a memory.
To speak their name.

No matter how much time has passed, many of us still want to hear and talk about the people we love.

So if you’re wondering whether to bring them up...

Ask.

You may be giving a gift.

For a long time, I have been holding the idea of creating a space that feels softer, slower, and more community-centered around grief, healing, and human connection.

Over the years, one of the hardest things I have witnessed in this work is how many people quietly carry loss, loneliness, transition, or emotional pain without spaces that feel safe enough to be seen in. Not group or therapy. Just to be witnessed

Kintsugi Club LA was created from that place.

A gentle community gathering space rooted in connection, reflection, conversation, and support — for those navigating grief, life transitions, healing, or simply longing for more meaningful community.

These gatherings will be low-pressure, grounded, and human. A place to slow down, share space, and remember we are not meant to carry everything alone.

If this resonates with you, I would love for you to join the interest list linked in bio — not only to stay connected, but also to share what kinds of gatherings, support, and community spaces you would like to see created moving forward.

I’m excited to hear for you! Link in bio 💐

Warmly
Vanessa

🌻

One thing I have noticed more and more in grief work is how many men are longing for support, yet still feel hesitant entering grief spaces.

Often when men call and learn that most groups are primarily women, there can be understandable hesitation. Vulnerability is already difficult for many people, and walking into a room where someone fears feeling out of place can make that even harder.

The truth is, men grieve deeply too.
Even if it looks different.

Sometimes grief shows up through isolation, irritability, overworking, numbness, anxiety, exhaustion, or feeling emotionally shut down. Not all grief looks outwardly emotional.

I would love to continue creating more inclusive and approachable grief spaces for men within this community — spaces rooted in humanity, connection, and the reminder that no one should have to carry loss alone.

People often ask me, “How can I support my grieving friend?”

The truth is, it’s usually not complicated — it’s beautifully simple.

Show up.
Sit with them.
Don’t rush to fix it or make the pain disappear. We cannot do this it’s not about fixing …however ..

The friend who can sit with us in the darkness until the light slowly returns — that is a quiet and beautiful kind of love. 🤍

Grief does not need to be solved. It needs presence, safety, and connection. Sometimes the most meaningful thing we can offer another person is simply letting them know they do not have to walk through the darkness alone.

One of the hardest things I witness day in and day out are the people who come into therapy after long periods of isolation, disconnection, or carrying grief silently because they did not feel safe enough to share what they were experiencing.

So many people move through loss believing they need to hold it together, minimize their pain, or protect others from the depth of what they are carrying.

But once there is permission, support, and a space where grief is truly welcomed, all of these layers begin to surface — the loneliness, brain fog, fear, longing, numbness, anger, exhaustion, and love.

Part of why I share posts like this is not only to support those inside the therapy room, but also to help open these conversations more publicly so people feel less alone in their grief experiences.

You deserve spaces where your grief can exist safely and honestly.

Grief doesn’t have a timeline—and you don’t have to move through it alone.

After a loss, many people experience waves of emotion, brain fog, disconnection, or simply the challenge of getting through the day. Grief counseling offers a space to gently process what you’re carrying, at your own pace.

Some benefits of grief counseling:

💜 A supportive space to share your story and be heard
💜Help making sense of overwhelming or conflicting emotions
💜Tools to navigate day-to-day life while grieving
💜Normalizing common experiences like memory issues, fatigue, or emotional ups and downs
💜Connection, whether one-on-one or in a group setting

Healing doesn’t mean “moving on”—it means learning how to carry your loss with care and support.

If you or someone you know is navigating grief, suppor is available. You deserve a space to be held in it. 🤍

Grief doesn’t always need to be explained.
Sometimes it just needs a place to be held.

Come try a group on us! Virtually for anyone carrying loss

Monday and Wednesday evenings 6:00-7:30PM

A safe space to sit with others who understand, without pressure to have the right words.

If you’ve been carrying something quietly, you’re welcome here.

You’re invited to come to one session and see if it feels like a fit.

📍 Open to those navigating loss and life transitions

If this resonates, you can reach out or learn more through the link in bio.

www.kintsugigrief.com
626-703-2401

There’s a moment in grief where support starts to feel necessary — not optional.

This can be a month after the death …or two years

We aren’t often taught how to navigate loss, or what to do with everything it brings. And when there aren’t safe spaces to process it, grief can begin to feel stuck… or show up in other areas of our lives in ways we don’t always expect.

Maybe things feel heavier than you imagined.
Maybe it’s been a while, and it’s still there in a quiet, persistent way.

At Kintsugi, you don’t have to untangle it all on your own.

We currently have a few openings for individual grief support, and we also offer groups if you’re longing for connection in community.

Share and connect with us for support and or resources