Bereavement and Loss

Feeling overwhelmed or alone in your grief? When counselling might help

Loss comes in many forms. It can be the death of someone you love, but it can also be the loss of a relationship, a job, your home, or a significant change in your life.

Grief doesn’t have a timetable. There is no point at which you are supposed to have “got over it”.

Everyone experiences grief differently. Some people gradually begin to adjust to life after a loss, while others may find themselves struggling with overwhelming emotions, loneliness or difficulties in everyday life.

Grieving is a process and it is unique to you - there is no right or wrong way to grieve. The NHS recognises that grief and loss can affect people in very different ways.¹

You don’t have to cope with this alone.

Talking to someone you trust can help, and the NHS recommends talking about your feelings to a friend, family member, healthcare professional or counsellor¹ when you’re struggling with grief and loss.

How can counselling help with grief?

Bereavement and grief are deeply personal experiences. Counselling isn’t about telling you how you should be feeling or giving you a timetable for moving on. It can provide a confidential, non-judgemental space where you can talk about what you are going through at your own pace.

You set the agenda, it’s about what you want to explore; you might want to talk about who or what you’ve lost. You might have feelings of sadness, anger, guilt or anxiety. You might not even know exactly what you’re feeling yet and that’s okay.

Counselling can give you space to express things that you might find difficult to share elsewhere and to explore your thoughts and feelings free of judgement or expectation.

You might consider talking to someone if:

• you feel overwhelmed
• you want to understand your feelings
• you’re struggling with everyday life
• you feel stuck
• you’re feeling particularly lonely or isolated
• you’re finding it difficult to talk about your loss with people close to you
• you simply feel that having someone to talk to might help

You don’t have to wait until things become unbearable before asking for support.

Face-to-face counselling

I offer face-to-face counselling in Bolton for bereavement, grief, loss, anxiety, worry and low mood.

I am here to facilitate a space for you to explore whatever you want to bring to a session: your thoughts, your feelings, at your own pace. Time to feel what you want to feel, say what you need to say, and find your own way through with support.

If you’re unsure whether counselling is right for you, you’re welcome to get in touch by emailing me at sarahsloancounselling@gmail.com so we can arrange a free 10 minute phone call with no obligation for you to continue.

When loss or anxiety feels like too much, talking can help.

If you need urgent help

Counselling is not an emergency service. If you are in crisis or need urgent mental health support, please visit the In a crisis section on the contact page for information about where you can get immediate support.

Further support for grief and bereavement

You may also find the following organisations helpful:

• NHS - information about grief, loss and where to seek support
• Cruse - bereavement support and information
• Mind - information about bereavement and mental health
• Sue Ryder - information and support around grief and bereavement