The Contrast of Blooming and Bereavement: How Grief Counseling in NYC Supports You in Spring
Author: Natalie Greenberg, LCSW
Winter in New York this year was brutal. Snowstorms piled up, the wind felt personal, and even the most bundled-up among us found fewer reasons to venture outside. For those who are grieving, winter can feel like a mirror of their inner world: gray, heavy, and isolating. You can read more about grief during the colder months in my blog on grieving in the winter.
Now, as we move into Spring, the energy of the city is changing rapidly. Streets are crowded again, and everyone flocks to the park when the temperature hits a tolerable level. Cherry blossoms are in bloom, daffodils and tulips are peeking through. The prints on clothes in storefronts shift from black to bright.
New York has a way of coming alive in Spring, and yet, here you are. Still feeling low. Still missing someone, still waking up with heaviness. If this emotional dissonance feels overwhelming, grief counseling in NYC can be a meaningful way to process what you’re carrying.
When Sunshine Doesn’t Change the Grief
You thought maybe the shift in weather would bring a shift in your mood, that the sunshine would help. That being around more life, people, flowers, music, and outdoor dining would make you feel a little more alive, too. But it hasn’t. And that dissonance can feel confusing and even more isolating.
So… now what?
Let’s start by validating this experience: Grief doesn’t obey the calendar. It doesn’t know it’s Spring. It doesn’t bloom on cue.
In fact, the contrast between how the outside world feels and how your internal world feels can make the grief sharper. You may find yourself wondering why you still feel this way when everything else seems to be moving forward. It can be jarring to watch everyone re-emerge with such lightness while you’re still carrying something so heavy.
This is normal. You are not doing anything wrong.
The Disconnect Between Seasons and Emotions
As a grief therapist in New York who grew up in Los Angeles, where it’s almost always 72 and sunny, I remember how jarring it felt to experience any mood fluctuations. It felt like the outdoors was targeting and gaslighting you if you felt anything other than perfectly content at all times. At least in New York, the moodiness feels welcome, with a hope that Spring will lift a veil of winter torment.
There’s a quiet kind of pain that comes with grieving in a season associated with renewal. You might feel out of sync with the world around you, unsure of how to participate in the joy without feeling like an impostor. You may also notice a kind of pressure to “feel better” simply because the sun is out and the flowers are blooming.
But emotional healing doesn’t work like that.
Grief Is Not Linear
Grief is a nonlinear process. Some days will feel lighter than others. Some moments, you may even feel joy, and then immediately feel guilt for it. Spring can stir up memories too: holidays, anniversaries, or simply the longing to share this beautiful day with someone who isn’t here anymore.
If you’re struggling with grief this Spring, here are a few gentle suggestions:
Name what you’re feeling. Sometimes just saying “I’m still grieving” helps remove the shame that can creep in when your emotions don’t match the season.
Let go of expectations. You don’t have to be “okay” just because the weather is.
Find your own Spring rituals. Maybe that means walking in nature quietly instead of attending big events. Maybe it means journaling outside or visiting a place that reminds you of your loved one.
Consider professional support. You don’t have to navigate this alone. Grief counseling in NYC can help you process your grief in a way that honors your pace and your story.
Spring will continue to bloom around you. People will spend time outside, flowers will bloom, and diners will spill onto sidewalks. You may not feel ready to meet the season with the same energy, and that’s okay. There is space for your grief here. There is space for your healing, too, even if it doesn’t follow the timeline you expected. And when you're ready, whenever that may be, there is grief support waiting for you.
Find Healing with Grief Counseling in NYC
Spring can be a time of renewal, but when you're grieving, it can also highlight everything that feels lost. While the world blossoms around you, your pain may feel out of sync with the season. That contrast is real, and you don’t have to face it alone.
Through grief counseling in New York City, you can find space to honor your grief without needing to rush toward healing. Together, we’ll explore the emotional waves that arise during spring and help you reconnect with your own rhythms, in your own time.
Here’s how to begin:
Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to talk about what you’re going through and learn how grief counseling in NYC can support you.
Book your first grief counseling session and start creating space to process loss at a pace that feels right for you.
Begin to navigate this season with more self-compassion, clarity, and support.
About the Author: A Grief Therapist in New York
Natalie Greenberg, LCSW, is an experienced grief therapist in New York who specializes in supporting young adults through the emotional complexities of loss. Her personal experience with grief, after losing her mother to suicide at the age of 23, deeply shaped her path and commitment to helping others navigate their own healing journeys. Through therapy and support groups, Natalie found the tools that helped her heal, and now she shares those tools with clients seeking grief therapy in Manhattan and beyond.
Natalie earned her Master’s in Social Work from New York University and holds a post-master’s certificate in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. With over ten years of clinical experience, she has worked in settings such as Bellevue Hospital’s Psychiatric Emergency Room, the leadership team at Mount Sinai Hospital, and NYU’s Student Health Center. Known for her warmth, insight, and subtle humor, Natalie now offers virtual grief therapy across New York State, making compassionate, accessible care available to those who need it most.