How can soundbaths and grief circles help with loss?
For the last few weeks, I’ve been sharing soundbaths for bereavement, at my space in Leeds - Studio 6 at Scott Hall Mills. It’s been deeply nourishing for those who have joined me, and I’ve loved holding the space.
If you’ve ever been to one of my ‘Talk it to Death’ sessions, you know that I’m an advocate of spaces where people can be witnessed without anyone shirking away from their pain or emotion. Witnessed without someone trying to fix their problems or find solutions. Met with kindness and without judgement by others who may have an idea or an understanding of what we’re going through. It sounds so simple, but it’s something that many people feel is missing within connections, and when we’re grieving, we need it more than ever.
This is why I’ve decided to continue the bereavement sessions but with the extra element - a peer support grief circle.
Here’s how peer-run grief circles can help…
Reduces isolation
Grief can feel profoundly lonely. Sitting with others who are also grieving offers the quiet reassurance of “I’m not the only one.”
Normalises the grieving process
Hearing a range of experiences helps people understand there is no right way to grieve — no timeline, no hierarchy of loss.
Shared understanding without fixing
Peer spaces tend to be less about advice and more about presence. This often feels safer than well-meaning but unhelpful reassurance.
Empowerment through mutual support
Participants aren’t passive recipients of care — everyone contributes simply by being there. This can restore a sense of agency after loss.
Accessible and less intimidating
Peer-run circles are often more approachable than formal therapy, especially for those unsure whether they’re “grieving enough” to seek professional help.
And if you didn’t already know, here’s how soundbaths can support people experiencing grief…
Emotional regulation & nervous system support
Grief can leave us in a constant state of emotional overwhelm. The soothing tones of instruments like singing bowls, chimes, and drums help activate the parasympathetic nervous system, calming the body and allowing a sense of safety. This can reduce symptoms such as anxiety, insomnia, and emotional dysregulation.
Non-verbal emotional processing
Grief often lives beyond words. Sound bypasses the thinking mind and meets people where they are emotionally. Participants can release stuck or unexpressed feelings including sorrow, anger, guilt or numbness, without needing to speak or explain.
A sense of connection and presence
Loss often brings with it a sense of isolation. A soundbath creates a collective, compassionate space for people to grieve in the company of others. Even in silence, this can help participants feel less alone in their experience and more connected to something greater than themselves.
Restoring sleep and soothing the body
Soundbaths are particularly effective in helping regulate sleep patterns - something that’s often deeply disrupted in grief. They can also ease physical tension, support heart rate regulation, and lower blood pressure, all of which can be thrown off during periods of mourning.
Creating a gentle ritual space
Soundbaths can become part of a healing ritual - a moment to pause, reflect, honour, and begin to rebuild. This is especially powerful when words feel empty or when traditional mourning spaces don’t quite meet the needs of the grieving individual.
Spiritual support
For those seeking spiritual comfort (whether religious or not), soundbaths can offer a sense of connection to the unseen - to the person lost, to source, or simply to the deeper self. They invite a meditative, open-hearted state where insight, release, or even peace may arise.
I’ve seen first hand how supportive these spaces can be and I’m looking forward to being able to provide more of them in 2026. I’d love for you to join me.
Please reach out if you have any questions.
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