Marla Christensen, AMFT, APCC, joins Tony on the Virtual Couch to discuss dealing with grief and loss. Marla is a new associate working with Tony. Marla received her master's degree in clinical psychology from Pepperdine University. She shares her passion for her work in mental health counseling and touches on her own personal experience about shifting from being a stay-at-home mom to a counselor following a divorce. Marla discusses her approach to dealing with grief and loss in clients, which she shares as an inescapable human experience. She elaborates on the stages of grief as proposed by Elizabeth Kubler Ross, shedding light on David Kessler’s addition of the sixth stage, 'reconstruction/rebuilding'. Emphasizing the subjectivity of the grieving process, Marla recommends being compassionate, patient, and welcoming toward one's emotions throughout. She also talks about the role of religion and spirituality in helping individuals rebound quickly from grief due to the sense of community they provide.

Marla and her husband, Nate Christensen, APCC, host the podcast “Working Change,” which you can find wherever you listen to podcasts or visit https://blubrry.com/workingchange. Marla has a few openings and can be reached directly at [email protected], or you can reach out to Tony at [email protected]

00:00 Introduction and Welcoming Marla

00:22 Getting to Know Marla: Her Journey into Therapy

01:20 Marla's Early Years and Path to Therapy

02:20 Marla's Podcast and Mental Health Advocacy

03:08 Marla's Experience with Grief and Loss

04:11 The Impact of Life Experience on Therapy

05:58 Understanding Grief and Loss

08:50 The Stages of Grief

27:42 The Role of Religion and Spirituality in Grief

30:08 Final Thoughts and Advice on Navigating Grief

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