Online in Eugene and Throughout Oregon
Grief Counseling in Eugene for Unacknowledged & Sudden Loss
Grief & Bereavement Counseling in Eugene
Maybe you’re grieving a loss that others minimize or don't acknowledge: a job, a pet, a relationship/marriage, a pregnancy, or a dream.
Or perhaps you’re navigating the aftermath of a sudden, shocking, or violent death that has left you reeling.
This type of pain — what therapists call disenfranchised grief or traumatic grief — often requires a different kind of support.
I provide specialized grief counseling for Eugene residents who need more than platitudes about “time healing” or suggestions to “stay busy.”
Grief has a way of ambushing you in the most ordinary moments. As a grief counselor, I help you navigate loss without trying to “fix” it or rush through it.
You’re holding office hours, grading papers, attending committee meetings, all while carrying a loss so heavy it feels like drowning in slow motion. Your colleagues discuss summer research plans while you're trying to figure out how to exist in a world where your person no longer does.
The academic calendar creates a cruel paradox for grievers. Your loss doesn't pause for dissertation deadlines or final exams, yet the institution moves forward relentlessly.
You might be teaching developmental psychology weeks after your miscarriage, or defending your thesis months after losing your parent who was supposed to be there.
Eugene's proximity to nature, something that usually soothes, can feel like mockery when you're grieving. Everyone insists that hiking Ridgeline Trail or sitting by the river will help, but beauty feels like betrayal when they're not here to share it. The Rhododendron Garden blooms whether they're alive or not. The leaves change. The world's indifference to your loss feels personal.
There's also a particular loneliness to grieving in a university town where your peers might not have experienced significant loss yet. They offer academic articles about grief stages or well-meaning but hollow advice about “self-care.”
Meanwhile, you're discovering that grief isn’t something you get over; it's something that rearranges you at a molecular level.
About Grief Counseling…
Grief isn't a problem requiring solutions or stages to complete. It's the profound disorientation that comes when love has nowhere to go. Your whole body knows they're gone: the phantom buzz of expecting their call, the muscle memory of their hug, the way you still save reels to send them.
In our work, I won't rush toward acceptance or push you to find meaning in your loss. Instead, we'll acknowledge the magnitude of what's happened. We’ll honor the rage at medical systems that failed them, the guilt about things left unsaid, the relief if suffering ended, and the immediate shame about feeling relieved.
I use somatic and creative approaches because grief lives in your bones, not just your thoughts. We’ll work with the physical weight on your chest, the exhaustion that sleep doesn’t touch, the way food has lost all taste. Sometimes painting your grief reveals what words cannot. Sometimes tracking sensation helps more than talking.
FAqs For Eugene Residents
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There's no timeline for grief, despite what people think. Eight months, eight years, your grief is valid. It can feel like something is wrong with you for still hurting, but it’s not. You're human, and you loved someone. That doesn't just go away.
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We grieve whenever we lose something significant: relationships, health, imagined futures, identities. These losses are real and deserve witness just as much as death does.
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Being functional doesn't mean you're okay. Grief counseling isn't just for people who can't get out of bed. It's for anyone whose world has been turned upside down by loss, especially when it was unexpected.
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Please contact Lane County Mobile Crisis Services, or dial 988 if you’re having an emergency.
For community-based support, please visit White Bird Clinic or a grief support group at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart.
About your Eugene Grief Counselor
Jeniffer Duncan, LPC, LAT
I specialize in helping people navigate profound loss; not by rushing them through stages or encouraging them to move on, but by creating space for grief’s full expression.
I offer online therapy throughout Eugene and all of Oregon, which means you can show up exactly as you are: whether that's in pajamas at 2pm or unable to stop crying. No need to compose yourself for a commute or pretend you're okay in a waiting room.
Jennifer Duncan, Oregon Licensed Professional Counselor License #C3022 · Verify with State Board
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Yes, I am currently accepting new clients. I generally work Monday through Wednesday. I have limited afternoon availability, so please contact me to inquire about hours.
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No, I only see clients online.
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My fee is $250 for 55-minutes. If you prefer to work more intensively, I offer 90-minute sessions for $375. If you’d like to schedule a half-day or a multi-day therapy intensive, please see my rates page for more information about package options.
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No, I am not in-network with any insurance company. I would be happy to provide a Superbill (an itemized receipt) for you to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement.
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I primarily use art therapy (also called expressive art therapy, or creative art therapy) and somatic therapy.
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Yes, but only when it will be helpful and effective for you. If you’ve already had a lot of talk therapy, it’s likely time to try a more body-based approach.
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I offer complimentary 30-minute consultations to prospective clients so that you and I can get a feel for what it will be like to work together. However, if that doesn’t work for you, I’d be happy to schedule your intake appointment.
Please scroll down to my contact form, or send me a message on my contact page and I will respond within 48 business hours with my availability.
frequently asked questions
Contact me for Grief & Bereavement Counseling
Let’s get started.
Contact me to schedule your first therapy appointment.
Complete this form and I’ll be back in touch via email, text, or phone within 1-2 business days.
Call or Text
503-974-4140
jduncanlpc@gmail.com
MAILING ADDRESS (Services are conducted 100% online)4207 SE Woodstock Blvd. #398 Portland, OR 97206
Serving Eugene with Specialized Online Therapy…
I provide specialized online therapy to adults throughout Oregon, with focused support for residents of Eugene, Springfield, and the Willamette Valley.
Grief Counseling in Eugene