About Grief
Grief can feel like being tossed in the middle of a vast, unpredictable ocean. After a loss, emotions rise and fall like waves, sometimes gentle, but often overwhelming, leaving us feeling adrift and isolated. It’s easy to feel like we’re drowning in the heaviness of it all. But just like the tide, these feelings ebb and flow, and they won't last forever.
Workshops, retreats, and grief therapy or coaching provide a lifeline—a safe harbor to anchor ourselves and find direction. In these spaces, we learn to ride the waves of grief, knowing we don’t have to weather the storm alone.
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Life, much like the ocean, is vast and deep, filled with both calm waters and storms. Grief has a way of bringing us to the depths of our own vulnerability, but it also shows us the strength of our spirit as we navigate those waters. In the face of loss, we are invited to dive deep into our humanity, to love and live fully even when we’re pulled by powerful currents. True healing and fulfillment come not from staying afloat in perfection, but from the authenticity of our connections, the depth of our empathy, and the courage it takes to keep swimming forward through life’s unpredictable seas.
About Brian, CEO/Founder
Brian Stefan, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist specializing in grief, traumatic loss, suicide, anxiety, and crisis response.
He is the founder of the California Grief Center (www.caligrief.com), an organization dedicated to supporting all survivors of grief and traumatic loss through individual therapy and group support.
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Brian is a proud staff member of the Didi Hirsch Suicide Prevention Center in Los Angeles, a renowned organization offering comprehensive suicide prevention services to everyone, including crisis intervention, therapy, and community outreach, aimed at saving lives and promoting mental health awareness.
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Additionally, he serves as Adjunct Faculty at California State University Los Angeles, School of Social Work where he teaches on trauma, grief, and counseling skills. He is also a member of the Los Angeles Mayor's Office Crisis Response Team & Suicide Response Team.
About Emma, COO
Emma You is an operations strategist with over a decade of experience in business strategy and development, dedicated to building systems that uphold human dignity for those navigating grief.
As Chief Operating Officer of the California Grief Center, she oversees daily operations, ensures the delivery of high-quality therapeutic services, and provides grief counseling. Her work is rooted in a deep commitment to supportive, person-centered care, informed by her early experiences at Zen Hospice Project, where she trained in mindful caregiving before becoming a certified death doula through Going With Grace.
Emma brings extensive experience in crisis intervention, having served for several years as a 988 crisis line counselor at the Didi Hirsch Suicide Prevention Center. She is also an advocate for healthcare access, serving on the Board of the San Francisco Community Health Center, and volunteers as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for foster youth.
Her professional background includes roles at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and the Center for Reproductive Rights, where she focused on healthcare and social impact. She remains committed to creating compassionate, personalized support systems for individuals facing life’s most difficult transitions.
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