Hi, I’m Jenn.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Grief Care Professional, and Grief Educator.
Griever, truth teller, seeker, and writer.
Lover of books, old trees, strong coffee, and real talk.
I’ve been in the helping profession my entire adult life, starting with a stint in AmeriCorps right after college and graduating with my Masters in Social Work in 2006. Here are a few highlights of my licensure and certifications:
Megan Devine’s Grief Care Professional Certificate (6-month training), The After Institute
Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, Evergreen Certifications
Certified Grief Educator, grief.com
Certified Martha Beck Life Coach
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
training and experience
about Me
I’ve had many losses in my life, but the one that broke me open was the one I thought I could never survive. My little sister Melissa - who was my insides, my only sibling, and my best friend - died from brain cancer at the age of 40. When she died, my entire world shattered. I was sure that I could never be happy again, that I could never learn how to carry such pain.
I quickly discovered that living in a grief illiterate world had not prepared me for navigating loss. I became increasingly disillusioned with how much our culture avoids being present to grief, when I know there is a better and kinder way.
It is my honor to walk alongside others who are carrying the pain of loss and to support them with finding a meaningful way forward.
Outside of my therapy practice, I volunteer as a group facilitator with Peter’s Place, a center for grieving children and families. I’m also a writer, a reader, a nature lover, and a novice ukulele player. I live outside of Philadelphia with my family.
PODCASTS & Guest interviews
If you’d like to connect and see if I might be a good fit for your podcast, blog, project, or publication, please contact me here.
I Did Not Sign Up for This: The Loss of a Sister. I share my personal story of losing my sister Melissa to brain cancer, what I learned about making room for grief, and my thoughts on how we can all do a just a little bit better in supporting each other through difficult times.
Yoga for Realists: Navigating the Grief Process. Listen as I join host LauraLouu to discuss my healing journey with grief, navigating loss, and how we can be in better relationship with grief as both humans and healers.
The Broken Pack: Stories of Adult Sibling Loss: Jenn O./Melissa. I share my personal story of losing my sister and only sibling to brain cancer, including some of the ways that it changed me both personally and professionally.
Jump Start Your Joy: Intentional Joy and Comfort in the Midst of Grief: Host Paula Jenkins and I discuss my shifting relationship with joy, the art of surrender, the power of experimentation, choosing the stewards of our pain, and so much more!
Unleash Your Soul Song: Living in an Era of Uncertainty: I join coaches Becki Fleischer and Vrin Rao to talk about how we’re each experiencing uncertainty and practices we can all use to find our way through when life feels unsteady and unsure.
Unleash Your Soul Song: The Quiet Start and The Messy Middle: I talk with host Becki Fleischer about how you can realign with your inner wisdom as you move through the disorienting, messy middle of major life transitions.