Grief Recovery Testimonials
If you are grieving a loss, either recent or from long ago, and these Grief Recovery Testimonials resonate with you, please contact me for a free 30-minute consultation so we can customize a grief counseling program for your specific situation. We’ll always strive to meet you where you are in your grief journey.
2024
"I worked with Deborah after experiencing a significant loss in my family. My dad was our world and rock and passed away after a 7-year battle with cancer. My close friend recommended working with Deborah after completing the 7-week program after also losing a parent. I was having difficulty with the loss which manifested into weight loss, difficulty sleeping/eating and maintaining relationships. I work as a therapist in my own private practice and was having trouble concentrating at work and managing my emotions and having very low energy. Deborah provided a safe space to process the loss, other significant losses, misconceptions around grief and how to create forward movement while holding compassion for myself and remembrance. Working one on one with Deborah allowed me to better manage my pain and create self-awareness and positive movement while navigating the complexity of grief. Deborah was so empathetic and provided me the space to feel less alone and isolated during a very trying period. We were also able to process the significant traumatic loss of my cousin and grandmother and other significant changes/losses I had experienced throughout my lifetime. Although the sessions could feel emotional, they provided me insight into how I viewed loss and trauma and unresolved feelings that were coming up. Given how much the program has benefited me, my sister also recently completed the program with Deborah’s colleague and has also had a very positive experience. I would recommend the program and working with Deborah to process and better manage emotions, thoughts and feelings surrounding acute and all former loss."
Jessica ~ 7 week Grief Recovery Method
"I cannot express enough how grateful I am for Deborah's guidance during one of the toughest times in my life. Deborah consistently demonstrated thoroughness, knowledge, professionalism, compassion, and genuine understanding in every session we had. Her seven-session format was exactly what I needed to navigate the complex emotions surrounding my father's passing. Working with her was incredible; not only did she help me understand and cope with my own grief, but she also provided invaluable insights on supporting others during such a challenging time in our lives. Deborah's depth of knowledge profoundly shifted my perspective, leading me to discover a sense of peace amidst the pain. I wholeheartedly endorse Deborah to anyone seeking support and guidance on their grief journey."
Didem ~ 7 week Grief Recovery Method
"I called Deborah right after my mother died. My mother's death was shocking. I was devastated and scared. My brother and I are both teenagers. I was scared that my brother would close himself off and not be able to handle grief in a healthy manner. Deborah was so understanding over the phone, and allowed my entire family a free consultation. She was able to get my brother to open up a little bit which was a breakthrough. She is so gentle and kind. I would definitely recommend her to anyone grieving. I'll definitely be coming back. She is so amazing, and I am so thankful to have found her."
Ella ~ Individual Grief Counseling
2023
"I lost my sister in December 2022. My sister was also my best friend. We were inseparable growing up. I thought I was strong and could deal with my grief on my own. Everyday, since my sister passed, I found it hard to navigate life without her. I felt alone and scared. The pain was so extreme that I decided to seek help. I found Deborah through a referral. Deborah had profound understanding of what I was going through having lost a sister of her own. I had multiple losses in my family and she helped me deal with unfinished cumulative grief through the GRM program. She was compassionate, she listened and cared about my story. I appreciated the encouragement she gave me to go through the tough assignments when they were too emotional to go through. My experience with her was very positive and I strongly recommend her. After completing the program, I feel I have the tools to help me with difficult situations. Thank you Deborah."
Terri ~ 7 week Grief Recovery Method®
"I began seeing Deborah about a year ago, after experiencing the sudden and tragic loss of a close friend. I was experiencing debilitating anxiety and on a whim I googled grief therapy and found Deborah. I was immediately put at ease by her calm demeanor and her genuine listening to what I was saying. Nothing was off limits with her. We worked through the program dispelling myths regarding loss, how my friend’s death had impacted me in ways I had not realized, and eventually towards a healing resolution. Deborah is an angel and I believe truly destined for this line of work. She was always by my side and was always available by phone if I was having a rough time. Her help and healing has rippled to other aspects of my life and I will always be grateful for her."
Evan ~ 7 week Grief Recovery Method®
"When I lost my father, a part of me died with him. Nothing seemed worthwhile and I had lost all motivation. I honestly had no idea just how much hurt the soul could endure and for the first time in my life I was truly lost. The Grief Recovery Method was clear, to the point, very relatable and sincerely helped me declutter my feelings and the madness in my mind so that I could process the immense amount of pain in my heart. The Grief Recovery Method helped me realize that I was NOT alone and there are tools to help move forward in a healthy manner. The homework assignments are intellectually simple but emotionally challenging, which is good. They really helped set me on a correct path for healthy acceptance and helped clarify all my feelings and scattered thoughts. Deborah was extremely kind, empathetic, very professional and was a great listener with honest and valuable feedback. I personally have a very difficult time opening up to someone unless they can actually relate to my situation, and Deborah is no novice. She was very flexible with my ever changing schedule, was always available by phone for emergency conversations, allowed our sessions to go longer than scheduled due to my emotional outpour and was very patient when I had a difficult time fulfilling my homework assignments. My life has forever changed. I still cry, I still hurt, and to some degree I always will. But that is because my love for my father and the love he had for me will always be present. I am confident with my new life, carry this grief in a healthy way and smile more. I am able to let the dark thoughts pass and let the warmth come whereas before I was trapped in a dark, cold, hell-ish night. If you have experienced loss I strongly recommend the Grief Recovery Method with Deborah Gallo! Please don't suffer in silence!"
Chad ~ 7 week Grief Recovery Method®
"Many of us lost a loved one over the past three years, from Covid or other causes. I sustained multiple losses. How much can one's heart take before experiencing trauma or simply shutting down? My losses cut very deep, and I could hardly cope with one before another one came to pass. Grieving each person was also eclipsed by the gradual, continuous loss of my mother to advanced Alzheimer's Disease. Caring for Mom was exhausting, confounding, and it overshadowed everything else in my life. Meeting Deborah and working through the Grief Recovery Program led me artfully back to feeling hope, and learning new ways to not only cope, but understand and come to terms with each person who had passed away. Deborah made it possible for me to work through the program at my own pace. Her calm, acceptance, and authenticity inspired and guided me to find the strength within that I needed in order to grieve, accept, forgive, release, and memorialize each of my loved ones including, eventually, my mother. I am eternally grateful to Deborah, and to the program, for restoring my spirit so I can continuously move forward with peace and joy in the present moment, feeling the love and blessings of each dear soul who has departed. It is possible now to live in harmony with the memories of those who have gone on. Deborah and the Grief Recovery Program have made my recovery possible."
Jessica ~ 7 week Grief Recovery Method®
"Although I have a wonderful support system, after the very unexpected sudden loss of my husband, I found myself very lost. I couldn't make sense of how to move forward without my partner. My future had been taken from me and I couldn't seem to figure out how to create my new future or see that I could have a future without him. I finally decided I needed some guidance my support system couldn't give me, and I found The Grief Recovery Method and Deborah Gallo. Deborah was an easy person to talk to from the very beginning, and very empathetic. Deborah made me feel safe to express my emotions without shame or embarrassment, and she made me feel as though she was invested in my recovery. I gained a new view on grief, and I respond differently now than I did before when I encounter someone who has experienced a loss. I would highly recommend the program and Deborah as a Grief Counselor."
Dorothy ~ 7 week Grief Recovery Method® and Individual Grief Counseling
2022
"I have suffered for many years from the loss of a relationship with my brother. No matter what I’ve done, or said, we’ve been unable to mend our differences. Thoughts and feelings had arisen from this loss, and I began to believe that I was unlovable and worthless. These thoughts circulated in my head all the time and I couldn’t break free of this ruminating, negativity loop. Alone, I just couldn’t find a way to heal from this loss. Sleeplessness and anxiety began to affect my emotional and physical health, so I urgently sought out and found help. I found the Grief Recovery Program and Deborah. Deborah walked me through the program with compassion and an open heart. I was able to see the big picture and learn more about the relationship and why it is the way it is. We found ways together, to help end my suffering and heal. Deborah is a great listener, non-judgmental, and knowledgeable. She gave me wonderful ways to deal with the loss not only today but in the future. Finally, I was able to recover, and although the sadness sometimes reappears, it is no longer debilitating. I’m living my life, am sleeping better, and am beginning to feel joy again. Thank you, Deborah, for all you do and for your support."
Kathy ~ 7 week Grief Recovery Method®
"This program changed my life. During one of the first sessions, Deborah explained to me that by the end of the program, I would be a different person and my attitudes toward life as well as my priorities would change. She was correct. Not only did she help me resolve the very tragic loss of my brother and his wife, she kindly and very patiently helped me address other areas in my life that I had been burying and repressing for so long, leading to unresolved pain, disappointments, anger, and an inability to live in my truest self. The work I did with Deborah was not only transformative in dealing with my grief with my brother and past losses and hurts, but also towards becoming a more loving and confident version of myself. This version of myself is so much fun to live with and embrace the world and others with. My relationships with others, including family and friends, the ability to look at loss and grief as not an isolated emotional state where others could not understand, my understanding of the grieving process, my relationship with my brother, holding space for myself during this time, and, most importantly, my relationship with myself, has never been healthier and more whole. The process is an incredible gift and, although very challenging at times, is something everyone experiencing grief and unresolved hurts should participate in. Thanks to the program and the healing work that Deborah brought to my life, I will never be the same. Thank you, Deborah, and the Grief Recovery Institute for providing a life-changing experience during the most difficult time of my life."
Christine ~ 7 week Grief Recovery Method®
"I am so appreciative of Deborah's kindness, compassion, and listening skills. She was able to hear my story and create a safe place where I could observe my grief and try and work through it. When I found Deborah I was at a very difficult point in my life. I was suffering in many ways over the death of my mother. She was able to understand the importance of healing and the patience required to do the work. The only regret I have is not finding her earlier and trying other therapists along the way."
Annie ~ 7 week Grief Recovery Method®
"I don't know what I would have done without Deborah and the Grief Recovery Method. After the sudden loss of my mother, I reached out to Deborah for help a week later. Growing up, I was never taught how to grieve but rather - to simply toughen up and move on. That approach was not going to work for me and needless to say, I was devastated, lost, and deeply distressed by my mother's death. Deborah held my hand throughout the grieving process and held space magnificently - truly I don't know what I would have done without her. I found the action-step process of the Grief Recovery Method profound and effective; unlike the traditional therapy sessions that I've encountered which felt entirely too clinical. The relationship graphs and the notion of forgiveness and apologies that have been unsaid my whole life were tremendously helpful and allowed me to reflect on several significant losses outside of the death of my mother that needed tending to as well. Needless to say, I was cracked open and put back together during this process. Deborah helped me with not only the grief recovery method but also with my day to day, how to navigate going back to work, supported me throughout the planning of my mother's service, and prepared me with outcomes that were sure to come with my familial relationships - which were spot on. I appreciated her valued insight and wisdom and will carry it on with me for the rest of my life. Ironically, I will be grieving the loss of Deborah and our weekly counseling sessions but with the tools that she taught me...I'll manage and hold her close to my mended heart. Thank you, Deborah. Thank you thank you thank you... "
Kimberly ~ 7 week Grief Recovery Method®
2021
"I was one of those people who had years of acquiring things, relationships, and employment only to lose them one at a time in rapid succession. Grief had consumed my life, my thought process, and my physical ability to function healthily. I made decisions for others but not for myself. All my efforts blew up in my face. I lost friends and family because my grief was so heavy I lost the ability to make sound decisions. Deborah was/is a Godsend. I needed a soft-touch, smart individual who was not in my face overbearing or practicing toxic positivity. Deborah would listen to my grief and have an entirely different perspective. Her outlook made me feel seen, and heard. My heart softened and I found myself on the journey to recovery. One thing I will say to all grievers: Grief will never leave us. But with the correct information and tools we can learn to manage our grief and live a full life again. I do hope reading this will persuade you to work with Deborah, she is Awesome and I am Thankful."
Karen ~ 7 week Grief Recovery Method®
"After losing my brother and sister within 3.5 months of each other in 2020, I was struggling with feelings of deep loss and grief. Then, at the end of 2020, my relationship ended with the love of my life, and 8 months later as I was beginning to heal he passed away in a motorcycle accident. My heart and soul were broken and grief consumed me. I truly did not know how I could recover. I felt safe starting the Grief Recovery Program with Deborah and it has been both a godsend and a blessing for me. Throughout the program, I was able to see how my grief was holding me hostage and not allowing me to move on and let go of my deep all-consuming sadness. The seven-week Grief Recovery Program along with Deborah’s compassionate nature and guidance was exactly what I needed. I feel confident that the tools I learned will help guide me and allow me to heal. It is a journey that feels brighter and more manageable after completing the course. Deborah’s dedication and support continued after the 7-week course ended. My boyfriend’s family had excluded me from his Memorial service, and with Deborah’s encouragement, I was able to honor and celebrate his life. I organized a nice beach party with his friends and Deborah came to support me. It meant so much to me that she was there, supporting me through the darkest moments I have ever experienced. My only regret is that I didn’t do this program earlier. My grief journey feels lighter and more manageable after completing the course."
Sondra ~ 7 week Grief Recovery Method®
"I went through the Grief Recovery Program with Deborah and I can highly recommend the process and Deborah as a facilitator: with such highly charged and intense emotions as grief can present, Deborah was able to hold space for it all to arise. The program itself is a very ‘easy’ one - I say easy, it’s a deep process, but it’s very ‘step-by-step’; manageable, and not too overwhelming. Deborah has a calm and compassionate demeanor which makes the whole journey and process very supportive! I can 100% recommend Deborah and this work - I now have a set of tools in my toolkit to draw upon and perhaps even use again. Thank you, Deborah!"
Stephanie ~ 7 week Grief Recovery Method®
2020