As well as supporting children and young people, the Children’s Bereavement centre provides one-to-one counselling for their parents/carers.  At a time when parents/ carers are experiencing their own grief it can feel overwhelming to support their child/ children at the same time. The support we offer at the Children’s Bereavement Centre provides the opportunity for adults to explore feelings or issues surrounding their bereavement, to strengthen their own well-being and ensure the needs of the whole family are met.

Grief is a natural response to losing someone you care about. Everyone’s experiences of grief are individual, and it may affect you in different ways at different times.

Most often grief is equated simply with sadness but in reality, it can affect you in many different ways including shock, numbness, anxiety, anger as well as extreme sadness. Some people will experience many different emotions and some people just a few.  Others may experience some emotions related to one loss but different emotions due to another. This is perfectly normal.

However, you may feel emotions that are so intense you feel you can’t go on, everything feels overwhelming and/or you struggle with day-to-day life such as looking after your children, going to work and/or socialising with friends and family.  Or you may feel the opposite with a distinct lack of emotional response.  If you are experiencing any of these feelings, its important to get support. 

Only when we first help ourselves can we effectively help others. Caring for yourself is one of the most important—and one of the most often forgotten—things you can do as a parent/carer. When your needs are taken care of, those you care for will benefit, too.

Bereavement counselling is a specialised type of counselling that will help you work through your grief, understand and normalise your feelings, and learn coping strategies to improve your emotional, physical and/or mental health, including any specific concerns. Bereavement counselling is recommended for anyone whose loss seems overwhelming or whose life is being adversely affected by their grief.

Our free Bereavement Counselling is delivered over a minimum of 6 consecutive weeks in a safe and confidential environment.  You can refer yourself or be referred by a professional simply by completing a referral form available to download on our website.  If you are unsure whether to refer, please call us for advice.