Therapy Designed for Survivors
Grief & Healing
HIR Wellness Institute is a healing-centered organization dedicated to supporting survivors of violence, trauma, and loss. Our trauma-informed and culturally grounded approach provides a safe space for individuals and families to begin their journey toward healing. Through individual and group therapy, grief support, and holistic wellness programs, we help survivors reconnect with their strength, rebuild trust, and restore balance in mind, body, and spirit. At HIR, healing is not just recovery—it’s reclaiming hope, identity, and community.
Collective & Community Grief
Healing the "Chain of Pain"
Healing from violence in Indigenous and underserved communities requires acknowledging the long-standing impact of Historical Traumas passed through generations. Our therapists are trained and skilled in providing trauma-informed and complex grief work for survivors who have experienced complex losses due to suicide, homicide, substance use, and community violence.
Our holistic, community-informed approach intentionally fosters a safe and welcoming space for survivors to seek support, grieve, heal, learn new skills, and rebuild hope. Intergenerational healing focuses on restoring connection, resilience, and wellness across families and communities, breaking cycles of violence while honoring cultural strengths, traditions, and wisdom. We specialize in trauma recovery, intergenerational healing, and post-traumatic growth for individuals and families affected by sexual assault, domestic and intimate partner violence, human trafficking, loss by suicide and homicide, and community violence.
Disenfranchised Grief
Unspoken & Silenced Heaviness
Disenfranchised grief is the deep pain and mourning that occurs when a person’s loss is not openly acknowledged, socially validated, or publicly supported. For survivors of violence, this often means their grief is dismissed, questioned, or silenced—especially when the trauma involves stigma, shame, or systemic injustice.
This unrecognized grief can intensify emotional suffering, leading survivors to feel isolated, misunderstood, or unable to fully heal. Without space to grieve safely, survivors may struggle with ongoing trauma responses, depression, or loss of trust in others. Recognizing and honoring disenfranchised grief is essential to helping survivors reclaim their voice, dignity, and path toward healing.
Complex Grief
Waiting for the other "shoe" to drop
Anticipatory grief is the emotional pain and mourning that begin before an expected loss occurs. It often arises when someone senses that a significant change, separation, or death is approaching—physically, emotionally, or spiritually.
For survivors of violence, anticipatory grief can surface when safety feels uncertain or when they fear future harm, this anticipatory sense of loss can be all- consuming. There's a "gut-feeling" that you cannot trust the future is going to be safe, stable, or successful. This ongoing state of “waiting for loss” can create chronic stress, anxiety, and emotional exhaustion. By recognizing anticipatory grief, survivors can begin to name and process their feelings, regain a sense of control, and find support in navigating both the fear of what may come and the strength to continue healing.
