Grief Support Readings: When Clinical Training Meets Spirit
You've been carrying this grief for months—maybe years—and you're wondering if they know. If they're okay. If they still see you.
Grief doesn't follow a timeline. It doesn't resolve itself in stages or wrap up neatly after a certain number of therapy sessions. Sometimes, the ache of missing someone isn't about needing to "move through" your loss—it's about needing to know they're still connected to you in some way.
That's where grief support readings offer something different.
At The Soul Work Center in Scarborough, ME, Sarah Dugas works at the intersection of clinical training and psychic mediumship. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and psychic medium, she understands grief from both sides: the emotional weight it carries in your body and nervous system, and the spiritual longing to reconnect with someone who has passed.
What Makes Grief Support Readings Different from Traditional Mediumship
A grief support reading isn't just about receiving messages from the other side. It's about creating space for your grief to be witnessed, your questions to be heard, and your connection to your loved one to be honored—whether or not they come through with specific details.
Sarah approaches these sessions with the same care she would bring to any therapeutic relationship. She knows that when you're grieving, you're also vulnerable. You're hoping for something that feels real, not performative. You want to feel your person's presence—not just hear generic platitudes.
In a grief support reading, Sarah may:
Connect with the spirit of your loved one and relay messages, memories, or validations
Help you understand signs or synchronicities you've been noticing since their passing
Offer insight into unresolved feelings—guilt, regret, things left unsaid
Provide a sense of their energy, personality, and continued presence in your life
Support you in finding peace with the relationship as it was, and as it continues to be
Her clinical background means she's also attuned to where you are emotionally. If you're in acute grief, she holds that tenderly. If you're further along and seeking closure or clarity, she meets you there.
When Grief Needs More Than Talk Therapy
Traditional grief counseling has its place. It can help you process emotions, develop coping skills, and make meaning of your loss. But sometimes, talking about your grief isn't enough. You don't need another person to tell you it's okay to feel sad. You need to know if your mom is proud of you. If your husband forgives you. If your child is at peace.
That's not something a therapist can answer—but a psychic medium can.
Sarah's dual training allows her to recognize when someone is seeking therapeutic support versus spiritual connection. She doesn't conflate the two. A grief support reading isn't therapy. It's a different kind of healing—one that acknowledges the reality of the spirit world and your loved one's continued existence beyond the physical.
You might book a grief support reading if:
You've been in therapy and it's helped, but something still feels unfinished
You've had dreams, signs, or moments that feel like contact—and you want confirmation
You're struggling with guilt or regret and need to hear from them directly
You're at a major life transition and wish they were here to guide you
You simply miss them and want to feel close to them again
What to Expect During Your Session
Grief support readings are offered by phone or in person at Sarah's office in the Portland area. Sessions typically last 60 minutes.
Sarah begins by grounding herself and inviting your loved one's spirit to come forward. She doesn't use tools like tarot cards or pendulums—her work is direct, intuitive, and relational. She may receive images, words, emotions, or physical sensations that help her identify who is coming through.
She'll share what she's receiving and ask you to validate or clarify. This isn't a performance. It's a conversation—between you, Sarah, and the spirit of the person you're grieving.
Some sessions are filled with specific details: names, dates, inside jokes, references to objects or places only you would recognize. Other times, the messages are more feeling-based—a sense of love, forgiveness, pride, or reassurance. Both are valid. Both are real.
Sarah will also make space for your questions. You're not a passive recipient. If there's something you need to say, ask, or release, she'll help facilitate that exchange.
Why Sarah's Clinical Background Matters
There are many mediums. But not all of them understand the psychology of grief—the way it lives in your body, the way it can become complicated by trauma, the way it intersects with attachment, identity, and meaning-making.
Sarah does.
Her years as a clinical social worker taught her how to hold space for pain without rushing to fix it. How to recognize when someone is dissociating versus integrating. How to honor the full complexity of a relationship—the love and the hurt.
She brings that same presence to her mediumship work. She won't sugarcoat a message or tell you what she thinks you want to hear. But she also won't deliver information in a way that retraumatizes or destabilizes you. She knows how to pace a session, how to check in, how to close with care.
This is especially important if your grief is layered—if the person you lost was also someone you had a complicated relationship with, or if their death was sudden, traumatic, or unexpected.
Signs Your Loved One May Already Be Reaching Out
You don't need a reading to know that your loved one is still with you. But sometimes, a reading helps you trust what you're already sensing.
Common signs include:
Dreaming of them, especially dreams that feel vivid or different from regular dreams
Smelling their perfume, cologne, or a scent associated with them
Finding feathers, coins, or objects in unexpected places
Hearing a song that reminds you of them at just the right moment
Feeling a sudden warmth, presence, or sense of peace when you think of them
Electronics acting strangely—lights flickering, phones glitching, radios turning on
If you've been noticing these signs and wondering if they're real, a grief support reading can offer confirmation and deepen your understanding of how your loved one is communicating with you.
Grief Support Readings Are Not About "Closure"
There's a cultural expectation that grief should end. That you should "get closure" and move on. But that's not how love works—and it's not how grief works, either.
A grief support reading isn't about closing the door on your relationship. It's about opening a new one. It's about recognizing that death changes the form of your connection, but it doesn't erase it.
You don't have to stop missing them. You don't have to stop talking to them. A reading can actually give you permission to keep them close—in a way that feels healthy, comforting, and real.
FAQ: Grief Support Readings
How do I know if a grief support reading is right for me?
If you're feeling a pull to connect with someone who has passed, trust that. You don't need to justify it or wait for the "right time." Grief support readings are for anyone who is grieving and open to the possibility of spirit communication—whether you've had a reading before or this is your first time exploring mediumship.
What if my loved one doesn't come through?
Sarah will always do her best to connect with the person you're hoping to hear from. Most of the time, they do come through. But occasionally, another spirit may step forward first, or the connection may feel quieter than expected. If that happens, Sarah will work with you to understand why and what messages are still available. You're never left without support or insight.
Can I ask specific questions during the reading?
Yes. While Sarah will share what she receives intuitively, you're welcome to ask questions or bring up specific topics. This might include questions about how they passed, what they want you to know, or guidance they have for your life now. The reading is collaborative, not scripted.
Ready to Reconnect?
If you've been carrying grief that feels too big to hold alone—or if you've been hoping for a sign that your loved one is still with you—a grief support reading may offer the clarity and comfort you're seeking.
Sarah Dugas brings both clinical compassion and psychic sensitivity to every session. You can explore her full range of offerings or book your session directly. Phone and in-person sessions are available.
Your grief is real. So is their love. Let's honor both.
