It is a sorting process.
One by one you let go of things that are gone
And you mourn for them.
One by one you take hold of the things that have become a part of
who you are and build again'
Rachel Naomi Remen
Bereavement Counselling
I offer a supportive and safe space where you'll be listened to, can express your feelings (whatever they might be) and talk freely about your loss. This gives you room to reflect, remember and mourn. There's no 'right' or 'wrong' way to grieve or find your way after a death - how you do this will be unique to you. It'll be influenced and shaped by your personality and life history, your relationship with the person who died, your experiences and memories of them, the way in which they died and so on.
Working at a pace that's right for you, I'll invite you to tell the story of your shared history with the person who died, explore your feelings about their death and think about how that has impacted your life. We also pause and pay attention to how grief manifests for you - physically, cognitively, emotionally - as well as thinking about your beliefs about death. Talking and sifting through your memories, reflections and feelings, helps you begin to find calm, regain your balance and start to make sense of things.
Some deaths can be particularly hard to manage, with loss and grief taking on extra complexity.
Traumatic deaths, for example a suicide, can be very difficult to talk about with family or friends. Sometimes a bereavement which occurred years ago may continue to affect your life now - perhaps it was never spoken about? Therapy offers a place to grieve an old loss when family or friends may not wish or be able to remember with you.
Perhaps you had a difficult relationship with the person who died?
Bereavement counselling can help you find your anchor amidst the confusion of this storm.
My training & experience
I gained over five years experience as a bereavement counsellor in an NHS Hospice, receiving additional training in this field. I recognise and respect that each person grieves in their own way and in their own time.
My experience includes working with people who have suffered traumatic bereavements such as a suicide, death of a child, sudden death or accident. I've also worked with those who are really struggling after a loss, sometimes years later, and who may feel isolated and 'stuck' in their grief, unable to move on.
Resources
Suggested reading
'You'll get over it : the rage of bereavement' by Virginia Ironside
'Staring at the sun' by Irvin Yalom
'The Year of Magical Thinking' by Joan Didion
'Silent Grief - Living in the wake of suicide' by Christopher Lukas and Henry M Seiden
Bereavement Counselling in Holborn, Central London WC1
Bereavement Counsellor & psychotherapist in Central London.
