GRIEF & TRAUMA THERAPIST. TEAM LEAD.

SIRI MICHEL-MIDELFORT, MPH, MSW, CSWA, PMH-C

Grief & Trauma Therapist
Grounded Grief West

I am a clinical social worker in Portland, Oregon, specializing in grief and traumatic loss. I received my Masters in Public Health in 2009 from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and completed my Masters in Social Work at Boston University in 2018. I have almost 20 years of experience supporting people across the lifespan as they navigate the complexity of loss and upheaval of change. 

My passion for grief work has arisen out of doing end of life care as well as birth work, through which I have learned just how close experiences of birth are to experiences of death. In 2021, I completed my certification in perinatal mental health (PMH-C) with Postpartum Support International focusing on miscarriage, fertility concerns, traumatic births, the transition to parenthood, and the tragedy of loss.

Living with death changes the way we see everything. Regardless of the source of grief—from losing physical abilities to suffering violent abuse and interpersonal trauma, from fleeing war as a refugee to experiencing the onslaught of dementia—I have found this to be true: Nothing matters more to humans than our relationships. I believe in the transformational effect of showing up with warmth and respect for everyone whose story I am honored to hear. I believe that no one should go through grief alone. My approach to therapy is collaborative, authentic, relationship-driven, and rooted in developing awareness. 

I love giggling with my two children, tapping into deep connections of friendship, days with both sun and clouds, submerging in water any chance I can get, and eating fresh grilled sweet corn.

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Oregon License: #A5331

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HEATHER HILL, MSW, LCSW, LICSW, APHSW-C

Grief & Trauma Therapist
Grounded Grief West

I have been a practicing clinical social worker for over twenty years in the fields of grief, loss, and child and family therapy. After receiving my Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Chicago, I moved to the west coast, settling in Portland, OR.  I started my career working with children and families facing loss and trauma and then transitioned to working with families and adults facing illness and anticipatory grief in the settings of palliative care and hospice.

Grief is a universally shared experience and an integral part of what it means to be human. It can be very painful and feel like our lives are falling apart. This is when specialized grief support can be helpful. I have been drawn to supporting people through life transitions, grief and loss because I find this work to be fundamentally connective and grounding.

During our work together, I will support the healing process of integrating your loss to help bring a sense of equilibrium back into your life.

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I feel grateful to be a member of this community while living in the wonder of the pacific northwest, enjoying time with my daughter and close friends.

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Oregon License: #L3829

Washington State License: #LW60828915

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MEGAN SEYMOUR, M.ED., LPC, LCPC

Grief & Trauma Therapist
Grounded Grief East

I am a grief and trauma therapist working with people in Washington, D.C. and Maryland.

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Because of my previous work as a teacher and a school counselor, I have an orientation toward the importance
of healing in community. I currently also work as the Resilient Scholars Project School-Based Coordinator at the Wendt Center for Loss and Healing in Washington D.C.

I feel deeply and know that the pain of loss, while sometimes intolerable, can be navigated together. I know the courage it takes to share your story with someone and believe in the importance of allowing ourselves to truly be seen and held in the midst of immense pain. There is a tenderness to navigating grief with one another; I will provide a space where your story can be held and honored with
compassion.

I value spending time outside with my giant dog and having adventures with friends. Currently, I enjoy the occasional boxing class and am learning to press flowers.

STEPHANIE O'BRIEN, MSW, LGSW

Grief & Trauma Therapist
Grounded Grief East

I believe that if you are human, you are a master of loss. We lose all kinds of things, from car keys to jobs, from our health to people we love (and feel conflicted about). Yet it can be hard to find spaces where all, if any, expressions of loss and grief are welcome. My intention is to create a space together in which your experiences and feelings can be accessed and explored with warmth, curiosity, and at your own pace.

In my practice, I integrate my training in grief and trauma-focused therapies, mindfulness and somatic techniques, and relational psychodynamic approaches to healing. My experiences as a leadership coach and facilitator, non-profit director, birth doula, yoga teacher, parent, child, and friend all inform how I support people through major life changes and challenges. I hold an MSW from the Smith College School for Social Work and completed clinical internships at the Wendt Center for Loss and Healing and the DC Rape Crisis Center. I also hold an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. My best learning has come from the people who have trusted me to hold their hearts through joys and sorrows. I am practicing under the supervision of Willa Day Morris and Katherine Hatch.

Beyond work, I value time with my family, running in nature, sleep, and a great meal in community.

District of Columbia License #LG200001725

SHANNON COLLIER, MA, MS

Certified Grief Counselor & Coach
Grounded Grief East

I am a certified grief counselor, grief educator, and personal coach in Washington D.C. and serve clients nationally. My training includes a MA in Spiritual and Pastoral Care from Loyola University of Maryland, MS in Patient Counseling from Virginia Commonwealth University, Coaching Mastery Program via Wisdom of the Whole Coaching Academy, four units of Clinical Pastoral Education, and Grief Counseling Fellowship with the American Institute for Healthcare Professionals.

I have over two decades of professional experience supporting families and individuals through life transitions, with the last ten years focused on social emotional and spiritual care/transcendent connection in hospital, palliative, hospice, time-of-death, and grief-related settings.

The heartbreak of grief is often one of the most painful experiences of human life. I honor the unique constellation of life circumstances natural to each grieving person and family. My approach to grief education and support is integrative, creative, and humanistic. It is my honor to connect with each client via openness, curiosity, acceptance and compassion.

In my free time, I can be found savoring time in nature, reading books, swimming, at the gym, connecting with friends and family, traveling, and enjoying my local farmer’s market. I live in Washington, D.C. with my husband and a collection of house plants.

SARA LINNEHAN, MSW, LCSW-C, LCSW

Grief & Trauma Therapist
Grounded Grief East

I am a grief and trauma therapist working with people in Maryland and Delaware. I received my Master of Social Work (MSW) in 2010 from the University of Maryland, School of Social Work in Baltimore, Maryland. In 2021 I completed my certification in grief and trauma therapy with the Wendt Center for Loss and Healing in Washington D.C

My journey towards grief and trauma work took shape in 2018, after several years of hospital and outpatient clinic work. In this work, I witnessed so much healing from genuine human connection and access to self-compassion and curiosity.   

In my work, my passion is to be with those living with immense grief and loss, including complicated grief and loss due to suicide. I believe there is no right way to grieve AND that no one should feel all alone in grief. I love being with people through the complexities of grief, witnessing how many people evolve an on-going relationship with their person, navigate both the dark and light moments, and find a way towards an ongoing life.  

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I value time with my husband and two children, especially outside play. I love to hike, swim, and work in the yard. My greatest joys come from developing meaningful connections and exploring our world through travel.  

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Maryland License: #16182

Delaware License: #Q1-0012030

Tennessee License: #8649

WILLA DAY MORRIS, MSW, LICSW, LCSW-C, LCSW

Grief & Trauma Therapist
Grounded Grief East

I am a clinical social worker specializing in the intersection of grief and trauma. I received my Masters in Social Work in 1990 from The University of Pennsylvania and began my social work career in domestic violence and services to the unhoused, providing support to individuals facing traumatic loss, marginalization and violence. In 2009 I completed a two-year post-graduate clinical training program at the Washington School of Psychiatry, and in 2022 I completed my certification in grief and trauma therapy with the Wendt Center for Loss and Healing in Washington D.C

I believe that grief in all its nuances is a deeply personal, human and normal response to many types of loss that can be perfectly normal and feel awful at the same time. Grief exists at the intersection of the “mess”, and can often feel overwhelming and unmanageable, especially at the beginning. I believe that we learn to live with loss, integrating it and carrying on as it becomes a part of our narrative.

As a therapist with training in grief, loss, and trauma, I use an integrated approach - including mindfulness and yoga - to work with you to identify and focus on what you want to change. We all have resilience and strength; at times it can be hard to find, and current circumstances in our world make this harder than ever. I believe that we are formed by our experiences, but that we should not be beholden to them. Together we will focus on ways to help support you in making changes you desire, creating a safe and mindful place for that change to begin.

A life-long native of the District of Columbia, I love my hometown, my family and gardening.

District Of Columbia License # LC302537
Virginia License # 0904010804
Maryland License #20694
Maine License #LC20716

KELSEY GETZ

Practice Manager

I am a practice manager and virtual assistant based in Austin, Texas and specializing in supporting mental health practices. I have a Bachelor's degree in English Writing and Rhetoric from St. Edward's University.

My background is in nonprofit administration and my passion is in doing work that really makes a difference. I'm an advocate of therapy for everyone, so working with therapists in my business is a natural fit for me.

There are few things I enjoy more than good breakfast tacos, live music, and spending time with my family. I am so fortunate to be a mom to my daughter, Marigold "Goldie," who was born in 2022.

SNOWBALL

Chief Morale Officer

Snowball is a born grief therapist; he tolerates silence well and listens without feeling the need to insert himself or say a word. He can be found under Katherine's chair during most remote sessions, waiting for a forehead rub or cilantro.