Grief, loss and serious illness
When illness, grief or loss become part of your story.
Grief often follows a bereavement, whether sudden or expected. But it doesn’t only come after a death. It can arrive with a diagnosis, your own or that of someone you love, with the slow changes serious illness brings, or with losses others may not recognise as grief at all.
Does this sound familiar?
Grief doesn’t follow a timetable, and it doesn’t always look the way people expect.
It comes in waves, sometimes when you least expect it.
You feel raw one day and strangely numb the next.
You are grieving someone who is
still here, or a future you imagined.
Everyone else seems to have moved on, but you just feel stuck
“My therapy room holds as much laughter as tears, because even in loss there is still love, and still life.”
Why people often wait to seek support
The people around you may not know what to say. Some want to help you feel better or move on. They mean well, but grief isn’t something to be fixed or finished, and the pressure to be further along can leave you feeling more alone.
If you’re living with a serious illness, or caring for someone who is, it can feel as though there’s no room for your own feelings. Everyone’s attention is on treatment, appointments and staying positive, and it can seem wrong to admit how frightened or exhausted you are.
Often people come to counselling some time after a loss, once the support around them has quietly withdrawn. You don’t need to have reached breaking point. Sometimes people come simply to have somewhere to put it all down for a while.
How I can help
I’ve supported people through bereavement, serious illness and end of life, including in a hospice setting, and I’ve sat with many kinds of grief, from the searing pain of sudden loss to the complicated feelings a long goodbye can bring.
Grief isn’t something you move on from. But with time and the right support, it is possible to move forward, carrying what you love with you.
For those facing serious illness, this isn’t only about preparing for loss. People who are seriously ill are still getting on with living, and there’s space here for all of that too.
There’s no pressure to arrive composed or to leave with answers. Sometimes what helps most is simply not having to carry it alone.
Free 15 minute call
A chance to talk briefly and see whether working together feels right.
50 minute sessions
Usually weekly, in person in Berry Hill, Mansfield or Online across the UK.
Single 90 minute session
A single focused session to work through a particular issue or decision.
Make a start, get in touch
Taking the first step can feel difficult. You do not need to have everything worked out or know exactly what to say. A short message is enough to begin.
I will respond personally within 24 hours. There is no pressure to book counselling after the initial conversation.
