National Grief Awareness Week

This week is National Grief Awareness Week and every year, I have grand plans to mark it with workshops, social media posts or the launching of new offerings. But it never works out like that. 

This year is no different and it feels like this week has snuck up on me… again! Having said that, grief has been a big part of my week… many of my clients are experiencing grief and loss, I held my monthly Talk it to Death session, and I also attended a session about creatively continuing bonds after someone has died, (organised by the wonderful lot at Full Circle Funerals). 

As a result, I’ve been pondering on the fact that although we always need spaces to talk about grief, grief isn’t contained to a certain week or a certain time of year. Sure, there are worse times that sting more - an anniversary, a birthday, Christmas - but grief has a way of sneaking up on us when we least expect it. A smell, a song or something someone says. It can catch us completely unawares. 

This year, the theme of National Grief Awareness Week is ‘Growing with Grief’, and this is something we talked about at the Talk it to Death session. We agreed that after a loss we will never be the same, and that much of grief is learning to accept the new version of us - who we are as a result of that experience. 

For me, grief - not only through loss, but also through the absence of things that never were - has been a huge opportunity for growth for me. The truth is, we don’t have a choice - we have to grow around the thing that’s happened because we can’t change it. It just IS, and that’s a really hard pill to swallow.

Being able to talk about it helps. Being around people who are able to talk about it helps. 

I think it helps.

So even though it’s Grief Awareness Week this week, I’m staying committed to witnessing and offering emotional support for grief, in all its forms, on all days of the year. 

If you’re in Leeds and I can help in any way, you know where I am. If you’re further afield, don’t let that stop you from getting in touch. 

There are still a few space on my FREE Bereavement Soundbath & Social sessions - please take a look and join me if you can.

#leedsgriefsupport #leedshealing #endoflifesupport #healingnotcuring