Grief and loss
Grief counseling for the losses you carry
True North Vitality offers grief counseling for adults at its Irwin office in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Nicoletta Whiteman, MA, LPC, focuses on grief and loss, including the death of a loved one and losses such as divorce, a move or a change in health. Christian faith and the hope of Christ can be part of that work.
- 3 Pennsylvania Licensed Professional Counselors
- Greensburg · Irwin · Ligonier
- Online across Pennsylvania
- Christ-centered counseling
This may help if
- Someone close to you has died and the weight has not eased.
- You are grieving a loss that is not a death, such as a divorce, a job or a move.
- Grief is wearing on your sleep, your work or your relationships.
- Your faith feels like comfort one day and a hard question the next.
- You feel you have to stay strong for everyone else and have nowhere to set it down.
What is grief counseling?
Grief counseling is time with a licensed counselor to talk about a loss and how it is shaping your days. Grief is a natural response to losing someone close, and for most people the hardest feelings ease over time. Counseling does not rush that or tell you how to feel. It gives the loss room to be spoken about.
Grief is not only about death. It can follow the end of a relationship, losing a job, moving home or a loved one becoming seriously ill. Shock, numbness, deep sadness, anger, guilt and tiredness are all common, and strong feelings can return when you do not expect them. There is no right or wrong way to feel.
Many people find it helps to have one place where they do not have to manage anyone else's reaction. Sessions can hold memories, regrets, practical worries and the quieter question of who you are now.
Who provides grief counseling at True North Vitality?
Grief and loss is a focus for Nicoletta Whiteman, MA, LPC, a Pennsylvania Licensed Professional Counselor. Nicoletta has a dual master's degree in Professional Counseling and Marriage & Family Therapy, and her experience includes private practice and work with schools, churches and foster group homes. Her focus also includes trauma, life transitions and maternal and perinatal seasons, which often sit close to grief.
Nicoletta sees clients at our Irwin office on the second floor of the Landmark Professional Pavilion, 150 Robbins Station Road, just off Route 30 in North Huntingdon Township. The building has its own parking lot. The office has no elevator, so if stairs are hard for you, Nicoletta also sees clients online.
How does faith fit into grief counseling?
True North Vitality is a Christ-centered practice. For many people, faith and grief sit side by side. Some feel God close in the loss. Others feel anger, doubt or silence, and are not sure that is allowed. Both can be brought into the room.
Prayer and Scripture can be part of grieving well. Well-meant phrases from friends or church can land hard when a loss is fresh, and your counselor will not hurry you toward easy answers. If you are not sure where you stand with God right now, that is welcome here too. You can read more about our approach on the Christian counseling page.
When does grief need more help?
Most grief does not need mental health treatment. It is worth reaching out when intense grief keeps going, gets in the way of daily life at home or work, and does not ease over time. For some adults, grief stays this strong a year or more after a death. This is called prolonged grief disorder, and it is more likely after a sudden or traumatic death.
A doctor or psychiatrist is the right step too in some cases: when low mood lasts more than two weeks, when sleep or eating changes worry you, when physical symptoms need checking, or when you want to ask about medication. Our counselors do not prescribe medication. They can work alongside your doctor with your consent.
If you are in crisis
- If you are thinking about suicide or are in danger, call or text 988 or call 911 right away. True North Vitality is not an emergency service.
- More numbers and local options are on our crisis resources page.
How do I start grief counseling?
- Book a free 20-minute consultationCall, email or use the form on our contact page. The consultation is a phone call to talk about the loss, ask questions and see if the fit feels right.
- Complete the paperworkIntake forms are completed before the first session so the time together can go to you.
- Your first sessionYour counselor listens to what happened and what life looks like now, then you set goals together at a pace that feels manageable.
- Ongoing sessionsWeekly sessions are encouraged for the first month when possible. Sessions are 55 minutes.
Does insurance cover grief counseling?
Some of our counselors work with insurance and others see clients on a self-pay basis, and plans differ by counselor. Call us with your plan name and we will tell you what your options are. See our insurance page for more.
Nicoletta sees clients in Irwin on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and evenings. Ask about times when you call.
Common questions
Is it too soon to start grief counseling?
There is no set time to begin. Some people call in the first weeks after a loss and others wait months or years. Counseling early on is often about getting through the days and having a place to speak freely. It does not mean anything is wrong with how you are grieving.
Can I come for grief that is not about a death?
Yes. Grief can follow a divorce, a breakup, a job loss, a move, an illness in the family or a change in the life you expected. These losses are real and can be just as heavy. You are welcome to bring any of them to a session.
Do I have to be a Christian to see a counselor here?
No. True North Vitality is a Christ-centered practice, and most clients share that faith, but people who are open, unsure or of another faith are welcome too. Your counselor will talk with you about how faith fits into your grief work.
Can I have grief counseling online?
Yes. Nicoletta sees clients online as well as in Irwin. Online sessions are by secure video through SimplePractice and are only for clients located in Pennsylvania at the time of each session. Our online therapy page explains how it works.
References
Published by True North Vitality, a counseling practice of Pennsylvania Licensed Professional Counselors in Westmoreland County. Last updated November 2, 2026. This page is general information, not medical or mental health advice, a diagnosis or a substitute for care.
You might also be looking for
- Trauma therapyTrauma-informed counseling for hard experiences that still affect sleep, mood and relationships.Learn more
- Christian counselingChrist-centered counseling with prayer, Scripture and the truth of God’s Word woven into the work.Learn more
- Depression therapyCounseling for low mood, emptiness and hopelessness, alongside a doctor when medication may help.Learn more
- Individual counselingOne-on-one counseling for adults and teens with anxiety, low mood, trauma, grief, burnout or life changes.Learn more
Ready to take the first step?
Call, email or send a short message to book a free 20-minute consultation. We’ll help you choose a counselor and an office in Greensburg, Irwin or Ligonier, or meet online anywhere in Pennsylvania.