You may have heard the saying ‘grief is the price we pay for love.’ Unfortunately it often seems to follow, that loneliness and isolation are the price we pay for grief. Even with the best support network of friends and family, bereavement can be a really challenging experience. It may feel hard to talk to others about what we’re going through, or our relationships and friendships may change as we try to adjust to our loss.
Being able to talk about our thoughts and feelings with someone who can empathise or help us make sense of our experience can be a comfort and bring relief. Yet, in my work as a counsellor specialising in supporting people struggling with bereavement and grief, I often hear people say ‘I can’t talk to anyone else about this’ or ‘I’m worried I’m being a burden.’
That’s why National Grief Awareness Week was set up – to encourage conversations around bereavement and grief, and raise awareness of spaces where people can talk openly. Whether to a professional or like-minded group, there are many services and sources of help available.
We will all experience bereavement at some point in our lives but whether we have experienced a loss directly or are supporting someone else who has, there are lots of different opportunities to get involved. No one should go through grief alone, so the Week offers a signpost on to networks and communities across the UK.
This year, National Grief Awareness Week runs from Saturday 2nd to Friday 8th December. To learn more or find out about events happening in your area, visit the AtaLoss website here.
About the author:
Verity Owers, Integrative Counsellor, MBACP (Accred) Specialising in bereavement & grief support
Verity worked in healthcare and the charity sector, for causes including children with a terminal illness, cancer patients, marginalised women, and refugees, before going on to become a BACP accredited Counsellor. Having trained with Cruse, Sir Colin Murray Parkes and Dr Lyn Prashant among others, she specialises in supporting people struggling with grief and loss following a bereavement. Verity has spent hundreds of hours counselling clients at organisations including Wandsworth Bereavement Service and St Christopher’s Hospice as well as her own private practice. Around client work, she is an experienced speaker and facilitator, offering events, workshops and talks in a range of settings.