In-Person & Teletherapy - Serving CA, CO, and FL
If your world feels heavy today, let this be a quiet space for a tired
heart. Know that this is a short read for someone overwhelmed, and if you hear only one thing, let it be this: You deserve support.
Fire is a violent erasure. It changes the structure of our lives, physically removing both the buildings we lived in and the routines we built inside them. It leaves a hollow where there used to be a foundation.
Recently, as the fires in Malibu devastated the coastline, I realized I hadn’t yet had the heart to drive through. I’ve heard what is gone, but I am not ready to see the landscape of my childhood turned to ash. Looking back through photos from the October 1996 fire, the memory is still visceral. The smell of the hills ablaze, the school day cut short by a bruised orange sky, and the sharp panic of wondering about my cat, Jessie.
When we finally came home, there was no living room. It was simply gone.
Yet, as things were rebuilt, paths crossed that never would have otherwise—my caretaker falling in love with the builder who came to help us restart. It was a detail of a new beginning, invisible while the smoke was still thick.
In my work as a therapist, I use these “burnt offerings” of my own life to help facilitate transformation in others.
I know that eventually, I will have to drive through the burn scars of today.
And you will, too.
Therapy is a meaningful, effective way to find the strength to look back without being consumed. It is the difference between enduring a complicated, looping grief and having your loss transformed into something bigger.
Reaching out isn’t a sign of being broken; it is an act of profound bravery. It is the beginning of an active recovery, a choice to ensure that your story is defined by what you build, not just what was ruined.
We can make sense of this together. When you're ready to find the clear air, I’m here.
Hazel Gilson, AMFT & APCC, artist, and explorer.
As an attachment-focused therapist, Hazel takes a personalized approach based on your unique needs. She helps you give the painful and broken parts of yourself new meaning and find a sense of security. Hazel has officially settled into her new office in Santa Barbara, CA, and is now seeing clients in-person, in addition to virtual sessions.
Take the first step towards a more fulfilling life.
Contact us to schedule a confidential consultation and discover how our expert therapists can support your journey to mental wellness.
We offer virtual services throughout California, Colorado, and Florida. Reach out to us to begin your path to healing.