Guidance Through Grief Counseling Center, PLLC

01/21/2026

We are excited to share a recent article Liz Anderson co-authored in Kidney Medicine on using empathy in shared decision-making conversations with people who are considering active medical management without dialysis.
These conversations aren’t just about medical facts.
They’re about values, fear, identity, and the emotional weight of choosing how to live when health is changing.
This work sits at the intersection of medicine, meaning, and loss — a place we care deeply about, both as a clinicians and grief therapists.

Shared decision making (SDM) is the preferred model for medical decision making, but implementation in kidney failure treatment decisions remains suboptimal. We educated nephrology clinicians to engage in comprehensive SDM with empathetic communication.

01/05/2026

Hey Asheville and WNC! We (Liz and Amy) have one spot left in this Grief Group for women starting January 16th. Email us @ info@wncgrief.com or visit our website @ www.guidancethroughgriefcounseling.com

Hi WNC! Join us for an in-person Grief Group for Women! We are creating room for connection, reflection, coping skills, education on grief, and gentle guidance in a supportive environment where you can share your story, and feel understood by others who “get it.” Register by calling 828-357-7388 or by going to our website at www.guidancethroughgriefcounseling.com

12/23/2025

💙 Grief During the Holidays 💙

The holidays can be especially tender for those carrying loss. We’re proud to share a recent interview with Amy Smialowicz Fowler, from Guidance Through Grief Counseling Center, featured by Four Seasons, The Care You Trust.

In this conversation, Amy thoughtfully speaks about:

What to say to a grieving friend during the holidays

Common emotional experiences people face

Support services offered at Guidance Through Grief Counseling.

We’re grateful to Four Seasons Hospice for amplifying this important conversation—and proud to have Amy as part of our team.

🎥 Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOtoBlgXLas

If this resonates, please feel free to share. You’re not alone. 🤍

12/19/2025

Whether it’s a meal, a walk, a trip to the grocery store, a text message, or a quiet coffee — a simple gesture can remind a friend who is grieving that they’re not alone this holiday season.
Read Amy Fowler's full op-ed on helping friends grieve this holiday https://www.citizen-times.com/story/opinion/2025/11/29/ways-to-support-your-grieving-friend-this-holiday-season/87461720007/.

12/09/2025

Hi WNC! Join us for an in-person Grief Group for Women! We are creating room for connection, reflection, coping skills, education on grief, and gentle guidance in a supportive environment where you can share your story, and feel understood by others who “get it.” Register by calling 828-357-7388 or by going to our website at www.guidancethroughgriefcounseling.com

12/08/2025

Read more of Amy's article in the Asheville Citizen Times "Ways to Help Grieving Friends this Holiday" https://www.citizen-times.com/story/opinion/2025/11/29/ways-to-support-your-grieving-friend-this-holiday-season/87461720007/ 828-357-7388

11/29/2025

Shout out to our very own Amy Smialowicz Fowler for this poignant op-ed in the Asheville Citizen-Times on supporting grieving friends during the holidays.
"Because we are uncomfortable with grief, we do not know what to say to our friends. We may not say anything at all. This unintentional isolation leaves the person grieving, not only the death of their loved one, but the loss of friendships."

Sitting with a grieving friend is silence is difficult since it makes most of us uncomfortable. But it can be a powerful gift to them.

11/21/2025

Explore myths and truths of the grief process while learning strategies for effective coping.

Grief 101: An Interactive Seminar
Wednesday, December 3
11 AM - 12 PM, Via Zoom
RSVP to DTipton@FourSeasonsCFL.org

11/21/2025

Even in the hardest seasons, love and joy remain part of our grief story.
-Amy Fowler, LCSWA -Guidance Through Grief Counseling, Western NC
828-357-7388
www.guidancethroughgriefcounseling.com

11/17/2025

Caregivers, helpers, and friends often put their own grief aside.
At Guidance Through Grief in Western North Carolina, we help you make space for your own healing too.
828-357-7388
www.guidancethroughgriefcounseling.com

11/14/2025

Your grief matters, no matter the story.
If you’re in the Asheville or Candler area, Amy Fowler, LCSWA, offers counseling for loss, transition, and healing.
828-357-7388
www.guidancethroughgriefcounseling.com

11/11/2025

We honor our country’s veterans and their families. Veterans often experience complicated grief, especially regarding the loss of fellow service members, which can lead to PTSD, survivors' guilt, and su***de. Thank you, Veterans, for the physical and emotional sacrifices you and families make for our peace and well-being.

Complicated Grief (CG) is a bereavement-specific syndrome distinct from but commonly comorbid with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While bereavement is common among military personnel (Simon et al., 2018), there is little research on the ...