Grief Counseling for Teens & Young Adults in Fort Wayne, IN
Support for carrying loss, at a pace that feels right for you
Grief counseling helps teens and young adults ages 13–25 work through the death of a loved one, a sudden or traumatic loss, or the losses that often go unrecognized, like a breakup, a family change, or a future that suddenly looks different. Individual therapy at Unwilted Counseling offers a private, steady space to feel what you feel, make sense of the loss, and find your footing again. Sessions are available in person in Fort Wayne, Indiana, or virtually across Indiana and eligible parts of Ohio.
Free 15-minute consultation | Call or text (260) 255-6432 | Request an appointment
What Is Grief Counseling?
Grief counseling is individual therapy focused on the emotional, physical, and practical impact of loss. Rather than pushing you to “move on,” this work helps you understand your grief, express what’s been hard to say, and gradually build a life that has room for both the loss and what comes next.
Grief isn’t limited to death. Breakups, friendships ending, divorce, moving, or losing a planned future can all bring real grief, especially for young people who are still building their sense of identity and stability.
Looking for something more specific?
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Grieving a first relationship or breakup? See Teen Breakup Counseling.
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Was the loss sudden, violent, or traumatic? See Trauma Counseling.
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Struggling with a move, graduation, or big change? See Life Transition Counseling.
Signs You May Benefit From Grief Counseling
Grief looks different for everyone, but common signs include:
Emotional Signs
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Sadness, anger, guilt, or regret that feels overwhelming or isn’t easing
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Feeling numb, empty, or disconnected from the people around you
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Feeling like part of yourself is missing, or like life can’t move forward
Physical and Daily-Life Signs
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Trouble sleeping, eating, or concentrating at school or work
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Fatigue, headaches, or stomachaches with no clear cause
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Pulling away from friends, activities, or anything that reminds you of the loss
Signs Grief May Be Getting Stuck
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Replaying a sudden or traumatic death
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Intense grief that stays the same, or gets worse, over many months
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Dreading birthdays, holidays, or anniversaries to the point of avoiding them
Why Grief Is Especially Hard for Teens & Young Adults
Loss during the teen and young adult years often arrives at the same time as exams, first jobs, college moves, and figuring out who you are. Many young people feel pressure to “stay strong” for their family, or they grieve quietly because friends don’t know what to say. Social media can make it harder, with constant reminders, memorial posts, and the sense that everyone else has moved on.
Grief can also return years later at milestones like graduation or a first job. None of this means something is wrong with you. It means the loss mattered, and it deserves care.
Our Approach to Grief Counseling
Treatment is trauma-informed, relational, and tailored to the kind of loss you’re facing:
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Making room for feelings: Emotion-focused work helps you feel sadness, anger, guilt, or relief safely, instead of holding everything in.
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Processing traumatic loss: When a death is sudden or frightening, EMDR therapy can help reduce intrusive memories and replaying.
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Understanding protective parts: IFS-informed therapy gently explores the part of you that stays numb, stays busy, or insists you’re fine.
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Connecting past and present: Psychodynamic work explores how this loss connects to earlier experiences and relationships.
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Getting through daily life: Practical coping skills support sleep, school, work, and hard dates like anniversaries.
Learn more about Unwilted’s trauma-informed and integrative approach
How Grief Counseling Can Help
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Express what’s been hard to say. Put words to feelings you’ve been carrying alone, including the confusing ones.
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Quiet the “what ifs.” Ease the guilt, replaying, and second-guessing that keep grief raw.
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Get through hard days. Build tools for sleep, school, work, holidays, and anniversaries.
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Stay connected to what you lost. Find meaningful ways to honor the person, relationship, or chapter of life.
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Reconnect with your life. Gradually return to friends, routines, and the things that matter to you.
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Carry the loss with less pain. Grief may not disappear, but it can become something you’re able to hold.
Meet Your Therapist:
Destina Rekeweg, LMHC
Clients work directly with Destina Rekeweg, LMHC. Destina holds a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Indiana, and is trained in EMDR and IFS-informed therapy. She has supported teens and young adults since 2019, first in community mental health and social service settings and now as the founder of Unwilted Counseling.
Her approach treats grief as a natural response to loss, not a problem to fix. Because Unwilted Counseling is a solo practice, every client works with the same therapist throughout treatment and never has to retell their story to someone new.
In-Person Counseling and Virtual Counseling Across Indiana and Ohio
Grief counseling is designed for teens and young adults ages 13–25 and is available in whichever format feels most comfortable.
In-Person Grief Counseling in Fort Wayne
In-person sessions take place in a private, comfortable office at 3514 Stellhorn Rd., Fort Wayne, IN 46815, with free parking. The practice serves clients throughout Fort Wayne and Allen County, including New Haven, Huntertown, and Leo-Cedarville.
Hours: Mon–Thu 9:00 AM–6:00 PM | Fri 3:00 PM–6:00 PM | Sat 9:00 AM–3:00 PM
Virtual Grief Counseling Across Indiana and Ohio
Secure, HIPAA-compliant virtual therapy is available across Indiana and, through the Counseling Compact, in eligible parts of Ohio. Sessions are not recorded and can be attended from home, campus, or another private space. Many clients mix in-person and virtual sessions as their week allows.
What Grief Counseling Often Looks Like Over Time
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Early sessions: Building safety and trust, sharing as much or as little about the loss as feels right, and finding ways to get through the hardest days.
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The following months: Working through the feelings, memories, and “what ifs” connected to the loss, at your pace.
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Later on: Finding ways to carry the loss forward, honor what mattered, and reconnect with daily life.
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Ongoing: Support around anniversaries, milestones, or new losses as needed.
Grief has no set timeline, so the length of counseling varies based on the loss, your history, and your goals.
Getting Started: The Process
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Free consultation (15 minutes): A low-pressure conversation to share what’s happening and ask questions, with no obligation to continue.
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Initial assessment (50 minutes): A gentle look at your loss, how it’s affecting you, and your goals for counseling.
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Ongoing sessions (50 minutes): Usually weekly at first, then every other week or monthly as things get easier.
Investing in Grief Counseling
Unwilted Counseling is a private-pay practice and does not bill insurance directly. Clients may use out-of-network benefits for possible reimbursement.
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Initial assessment (50 min): $160
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Ongoing sessions (50 min): $135
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Intensive sessions: $202.50 (75 min) / $270 (100 min) / $405 (150 min)
Full details are on the fees and policies page
Confidentiality
For clients 18 and older, therapy is completely confidential except in situations involving safety. For teens under 18, confidentiality is balanced with appropriate parental involvement, consistent with Indiana law and standard clinical ethics. Parents meet briefly at intake and receive general updates, while your teen’s specific words stay private unless there’s a safety concern.
Why Choose Unwilted Counseling
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Focused on ages 13–25: Care that reflects how grief collides with school, identity, independence, and family roles.
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Trauma-informed pacing: Sudden and complicated losses are approached gently, and you decide what to share and when.
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Integrated care: Grief work can draw on EMDR, IFS-informed, emotion-focused, and psychodynamic approaches.
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Consistency: A solo practice means you work with the same therapist every session.
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Inclusive and affirming: LGBTQ+ affirming, neurodiversity-affirming, and culturally responsive.
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Flexible access: In-person sessions in Fort Wayne and secure virtual sessions across Indiana and eligible parts of Ohio.
Frequently Asked Questions
About Grief Counseling
Grief counseling is individual therapy that helps young people work through the emotional and practical impact of a loss. It offers a safe space to express difficult feelings, ease guilt and replaying, build coping skills, and find meaningful ways to carry the loss forward.
No. Grief counseling also helps with breakups, friendships ending, divorce, moving, estrangement, and losing a planned future. These losses are real, even when others don’t treat them that way.
Grief is a natural response to loss, and it often comes in waves. Consider reaching out if grief stays intense for many months, makes daily life hard to manage, or brings hopelessness, numbness, or avoidance that isn’t easing. A free consultation can help you decide.
It varies. Some people come for a few months to get through the hardest stretch, while others work longer on sudden or complicated grief. Sessions usually start weekly and space out as things improve.
Yes, when appropriate. Parents meet briefly at intake and receive general updates, and may join a session when it’s clinically helpful and the teen agrees. Most sessions are one-on-one so teens can speak openly.
Neither. Some people reach out within weeks of a loss, while others start months or years later, when grief resurfaces at a milestone. If grief feels stuck or isolating, that’s reason enough.
Yes. Secure virtual sessions are available across Indiana and, through the Counseling Compact, in eligible parts of Ohio. Many young people find it easier to talk about loss from a familiar, private space.
Unwilted Counseling is private pay and does not bill insurance directly. Clients may use out-of-network benefits for possible reimbursement. Ongoing 50-minute sessions are $135, and the initial assessment is $160.
Good Faith Estimate: Clients paying privately have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate explaining expected costs of care. You may request this prior to scheduling.
Start Grief Counseling in Fort Wayne Today!
Grief doesn’t have a timeline, and you don’t need the right words before reaching out. A free 15-minute consultation is a low-pressure way to talk about what you’re going through and see if working together feels right. Call or text (260) 255-6432 or request your free consultation online.
