Gabriela Chen

About

The person who usually lands in my chair is the family's designated rock. They spoke at the service without their voice breaking, sorted the estate, fielded the relatives, and comforted everyone else, all while quietly coming apart on the drive home where no one could see. By the time they reach me, the performance has worn thin and they are ready to stop being strong for an hour. That is exactly what this hour is for. We let mourning be as messy and nonlinear as it truly is, with room for the good memories and the funny ones alongside the tears. We talk about what you lost and, just as importantly, who you are becoming without them. For a long while I practiced alongside other clinicians in group settings before setting up on my own, so I am used to holding many kinds of loss without getting rattled by any of them. I am easy to talk with and really unshockable. If you are tired of being everyone's rock, come be an ordinary person in here for an hour and tell me about the one you miss.