What type of grief support do you need? Everyone’s experience of grief is different and its depth and intensity will depend on many complex factors. So the question ‘what kind of grief support do you need?’ may initially feel difficult to answer. All we know is that it hurts and if someone could help us with this, then that would be great. Maybe the following will help you become a little clearer on what you need…
‘I just want to talk through what happened‘
Sometimes we just want someone to simply listen with empathy and compassion as we tell our story. This is a crucial part of all grief support. You want someone to just sit with you in your pain and validate how you feel. A few weeks or months after your loss, those around you may stop asking how you are and you may feel you can’t talk about your grief anymore, even though it hasn’t gone away and you might feel it never will. It seems to you that people are fed up with hearing about your grief or they just don’t get it. That can feel very lonely. A grief coach or counsellor can fill that role for you.
‘I want grief support from someone who actually gets it‘
This can be so important for many people seeking grief support. If you’re a bereaved parent or widow/widower in particular, you may feel a traditional bereavement counsellor just isn’t going to fully understand the extremity of your situation. The same may be true if your loss has been traumatic in any way or you’ve had multiple significant losses. Working with someone who shares a similar experience to your own can help create a rapport and allow you to feel really understood and properly heard. The combination of personal experience and professional expertise can be invaluable. It may also offer hope that you too can survive what may currently feel unsurvivable.
‘I want some tools to help me navigate my loss‘
You want someone to guide you through the grieving process. You don’t want to stay stuck in your pain, you want someone to help you move out of it. Someone to help you to understand the grieving process better than you do, who can provide workable suggestions that may ease your path. Whilst there is no ‘cure’ for grief, grief coaches know how to support someone as they move forward – not to move on or get over their loss but to find a way to build a life around the loss. They can also encourage you to continue your bond with your loved one. Death ends a life, not a relationship.
The holistic grief coaching sessions I offer will give you all of the above. In addition, as a nutritional therapist, I can help you understand the physical symptoms of grief (such as digestive issues, insomnia, fatigue, anxiety) and what you might do about them. This is an area rarely covered by bereavement counsellor or therapists. My approach is holistic – because grief can be a whole being experience, affecting mind, body and soul.
The support I can offer you
My holistic grief coaching sessions are a little more pro-active than conventional bereavement support and I adapt sessions to the individual depending on what you need. But I always start of by just listening to your story, without trying to make it better. In later sessions, I may go on to offer practical advice, coping mechanisms and strategies for emotional and physical health and wellbeing. I combine my professional skills with my personal experience of multiple significant losses to give you the support that I wish I was offered but was unable to find.
Would you like to know more?
Please get in touch and tell me about your loss and the type of grief support you’re looking for. We can then arrange a time to have a chat. I never take anyone on if I don’t believe we’re a good fit or if I don’t think I can effectively support you in your grief. Email: vanessa@wellbeingandnutrition.co.uk
If you decide you’d like some holistic grief support, we can get started as soon as possible. Sessions are fortnightly and are usually booked in blocks of six, though you can book in for a single one first if you prefer.
I look forward to walking with you on this challenging path.