“It takes strength to make your way through grief, to grab hold of life and let it pull you forward.”
Patti Davis
SUPPORT WHEN YOU ARE EXPERIENCING GRIEF AND LOSS
When you are experiencing grief and loss, it becomes harder to cope with life’s ups and downs. So, if you find you need a little extra support in navigating life’s challenges, then we are here to help.
Some types of grief we might talk about…
Grief relating to relationships:
Counselling after the death of a partner, parent, child, friend, colleague or pet
When someone dies, it’s as though the whole world has changed. Perhaps you replay memories of their illness or death, wondering how things could be different. You may feel very emotional or perhaps you’re feeling numb. Perhaps you experience relief especially if they were suffering, the caring responsibilities fell to you or you had a difficult relationship. Or you may find that your relationship with family and friends has changed leaving you feeling lost and alone.
I’ll meet you where you are now and give you space to explore how you feel and work through your grief, so that in time you can start to move forward in a way that feels meaningful to you.
Counselling to help you process grief from relationship issues, break-ups & divorce
Relationship difficulties can be incredibly painful. You might feel completely alone like you have no-one to talk to, or you may feel like everyone has an opinion about what you should say, do and feel. If you have divorced, separated or broken up, as well as grieving the person you loved (or thought you knew), you may also miss the security and companionship of your relationship. If you decide to stay together, after an affair or another major relationship issue, you can still experience grief for the life you were living and the future you had planned.
I am here to support you as an individual as you work through your grief. I work relationally, so can help you examine what’s going on and tap into your inner resources so you feel safely empowered to make decisions that feel right for you.
Support when you’re estranged from a child, parent, sibling or other family members
When you’re estranged from one or more family members, the grief can be immense, especially if it wasn’t your decision. Estrangement can also be incredibly isolating, because it feels like everyone has an opinion on your situation. Family is often promoted as the cornerstone of society so being no or low contact is widely considered taboo. This can leave you wondering what to say, to who, all while navigating complex emotions about the situation.
Coming to counselling will give you the chance to look at how you really feel. You can explore your history, your understanding of the estrangement and any difficult feelings you have about the relationship – all without fear of being judged.
Counselling to help you when someone you love is dying
Anticipatory grief happens when you start to grieve a loved one before they die. It can be very confusing, and you may feel guilty because they are still alive, but it is a completely natural response to a loved one’s terminal illness. You can experience anticipatory grief for any diagnosis, although it can be more pronounced when the illness affects who they are, such as with a brain tumour or dementia.
Counselling gives you a chance to talk about your feelings about your loved one’s illness and how it affects you. This can be really important if you have become their carer. It also gives you time to discuss your fears about the future, without worrying it will upset them, and give you time to come to terms with what is happening.
Grief relating to health:
Counselling for chronic illness & pain, particularly gynaecological issues such as endometriosis
Whether you’re seeking diagnosis, have just been diagnosed or have been ill for a long time, chronic illness and pain, like endometriosis, can affect every aspect of your life, including work, family and relationships. This can lead to disenfranchised or unrecognised grief, and it can be very lonely, especially if people around you don’t understand what you’re going through.
I can help you to explore feelings of anger, sadness or betrayal towards your body, the healthcare system or a world and society that fails to recognise and adapt to ill health. I can also support you as you learn to adjust to your new normal and find the balance you need to manage your health.
Helping you adjust to loss of function or mental health issues after accident or injury
Experiencing a life changing accident or injury can be a huge shock, both mentally and physically. You may be left experiencing flashbacks and have lost your sense of safety. At the same time, you can be left with severe physical changes to your body, which affect everything from your functionality, to your mental health and body image.
Counselling will give the time you need to grieve the changes to your body, the life you were living and the future you anticipated. It can help you to live with uncertainty so in time you can start to feel safe in your body and the world again. In addition to talking therapy, I also offer Rewind Therapy to support you with PTSD symptoms.
Emotional support when you receive a life changing diagnosis such as cancer
Receiving a diagnosis, such as cancer, changes your life in an instant. At first, you may experience shock, then as treatment starts, it can affect your body, your mental health, your emotions, relationships and even your sense of who you are. In short you grieve your health, life, body and future.
I will work with you to help you work through your emotions from fear of death to guilt over the impact your illness has on your family. Together we can build your resilience so you can increase your ability to cope with uncertainty, navigate emotional distress and in time, learn to live again.
Counselling to help you when you receive a terminal diagnosis
Hearing that your illness cannot be treated can be a shock. You may feel numb, frightened, angry or in denial about what is happening. Or you may feel completely matter of fact about the diagnosis and be more worried about those you’ll leave behind. All of these feelings are completely normal and you may feel some or all of them at different times.
Counselling can help you to come to terms with what is happening. It can give you the chance to talk through your hopes, fears and regrets, and prepare for the conversations you want to have before you die. It can also help you to live the rest of your life with purpose, while also learning to cope with uncertainty about exactly when or how you will die.
HOW CAN WE START?
To help you decide whether we’re a good fit, I suggest a 15 minute introductory call, so you can tell me a little about your situation & I can explain how I work.
From there, we can arrange to meet for an initial 50 minute session. During this session, I will undertake an assessment to discuss what brings you to therapy, with the understanding that you may not feel ready to share everything yet, your symptoms (if you have any) and concerns about your mental health. You can also ask me any questions you may have.
Together we can then decide whether what I offer is suitable for you and if you want, we can book your next appointment – although there’s no rush, I appreciate you might need time to think it through.