Bereavement Counselling in London

What happens to us when someone close to us dies? For many of us, bereavement will be the most psychologically distressing experience we will face.

Everyone experiences grief differently and there is no ‘normal’ or ‘right’ way to grieve. How we react will be influenced by many different things including our age, our cultural back-ground, our religious beliefs and our previous experiences of bereavement.

The death of a significant person can be a devastating loss. Bereavement is one of the most common reasons people seek therapy. An experienced bereavement or grief therapist can support you through the difficult process of grieving and help you come to terms with loss.

Understand the stages of grief

Grief is the word we use to describe the feelings and reactions that we have when we lose someone we care about or something we value. Grief affects everyone: it is the universal reaction to loss. It is painful and stressful but also natural, normal and necessary.

We all grieve in our own way and in our own time. For some people this might mean crying while others may express grief in other ways. For some, grieving may last months or years, while others may recover from loss more quickly. Reactions and feelings can change from hour to hour and day to day. Some people find these mood swings very frightening.

The way in which a person died may also have an impact on the grieving process: was the death by natural causes, an accident or suicide? Was the death sudden or expected? Could the death have been prevented if circumstances had been different?

Usually, there are stages of grief following the loss of a loved one and everyone experiences these stages in different ways.

Client Testimonials

Coping with loss

When someone close to us dies we have to cope and adjust to living in a world which is totally changed. The person we love is no longer part of our world. We may have to let go of some dreams we shared with the person who has died or we may feel there are things we would like to say to the person but will no longer have the chance.

The feelings people experience in bereavement are unique and everyone will cope with loss in their own way. Although bereavement is a very personal and often traumatic event, most people go through a range of recognisable reactions and emotions when someone they are close to dies.

Some of the most common feelings experienced while grieving include:

It can take some time for the reality of the death to sink in. You don’t want to believe that someone you love has died. The reality can feel almost too much to bear.

You’ve lost so much – the person, their love, their friendship, their companionship, intimacy, opportunities and hopes. And this loss may bring tremendous feelings of sadness.

You may feel guilty about things you said or did, or things you didn’t say or do. You may also feel guilty that you are still alive, or that you have times when you feel happy or when you focus on something other than your loss.

Death can seem very unfair. Many people find it difficult to make sense of personal loss.

Sometimes bereaved people can feel angry. This anger is a completely normal part of the grieving process. Death can seem cruel and unfair, especially when you feel someone has died before their time or when you had plans for the future together. You might feel angry with yourself too, for what you did or did not do. But perhaps most difficult of all, you might feel angry with the dead person for dying and abandoning you and for the pain you are suffering as a result of their death.

Grieving can be a lonely process. You may feel that no one can possibly understand what you are going through. And you may feel reluctant to talk to friends about how you’re feeling.

Grieving can bring on both physical and mental pain which can be overwhelming and frightening. Some people are surprised at how painful grieving can be.

You might feel relieved, especially if the death follows a long illness or if the person’s life had been difficult or uncomfortable in their final months.

How bereavement counselling might help

Bereavement counselling is a specialised type of personal therapy designed to assist in the grieving process. Our trained bereavement therapists in London will help you resolve the feelings you are having around the loss of someone you love. Bereavement is one of the most common problems that people bring to our counselling practice in central London.

Many people worry that these reactions will go on forever.  But with the help and support of your personal bereavement therapist, the emotional pain will lessen in intensity and most people learn to adapt to their changed circumstances.

Both face-to-face and online counselling is available.

What to expect in counselling

When I trained as a psychotherapist, me and my fellow students were given the assignment of doing something we’d never done before. The course tutors wanted us to get in touch with how scary it can be to do something new, to feel the fear of the unknown. I chose to …

Read more

What do I talk about in counselling?

One of the most common worries I hear expressed by people starting counselling is that they won’t know what to talk about. Some people think their problems aren’t significant enough. Others fear they have too much to say, that they might overwhelm the therapist…

Read more

Individual counselling

Personal counselling can be about anything that’s on your mind.

Read more

Couples counselling

Couples counselling provides space for couples to discuss problems in their relationship and find solutions.

Read more

Therapists in London

Finding the right therapist is an important first step.

Read more

One Therapy London

Counselling, psychotherapy, couples counselling in London since 2006

Therapist Asma Gharbi
Asma Gharbi

Consultant Psychodynamic Psychotherapist Couples and Relationship Therapist Counselling Psychologist Asma offers psychodynamic, humanistic and integrative therapies to individuals and couples She tailors her approach to meet the needs and preferences of her clients She offers short and long term therapy Asma provides a non-judgemental space for her clients, where they...

Oxford Circus

Kensington

Therapist Marta Pisarri
Marta Pisarri

Consultant Integrative Psychotherapist Visiting lecturer at Regent's University Diploma in Somatic Trauma Therapy Advance Diploma in Integrative Psychotherapy MA in Counselling and Psychotherapy MSc in Clinical Psychology Marta is a psychologist and an integrative psychotherapist: she has been working in the field of mental health for over 12 years in both private...

Soho

Kensington

Therapist Barbara Perini
Barbara Perini

Consultant Therapist MSc in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy DIT - Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy BSc in Clinical Psychology Barbara is an accredited member of BACP, holding an MSc in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and adhering to the BACP ethical framework Her approach is open-ended, offering both short-term and long-term therapy Barbara has also trained in Dynamic...

Oxford Circus

Therapist Yussef Ferguson
Yussef Ferguson

Consultant Psychodynamic Psychotherapist MSc Psychodynamic Counselling and Psychotherapy BA (Hons) Social Work Yussef is a Psychodynamic Psychotherapist who offers both long and short term personal therapy to individuals He has experience of working with a diverse range of clients and can provide a warm, confidential space to explore and gain insight into any past or...

Oxford Circus

Therapist Magda Piesiewicz
Magda Piesiewicz

Psychosexual and Relationship Therapist MSc in Psychology Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Sexology Magda helps couples and individuals who are facing psychosexual and relationship struggles She also specialises in compulsive sexual behaviours (often misunderstood as sex addiction) She aims to create a non-judgmental, supportive space where her clients can be open...

Fitzrovia

Therapist Ben Brackenbury
Ben Brackenbury

Consultant Therapist Head of Therapy Training Programmes Ben believes that at times we all struggle with the challenges life has to offer and therapy provides a safe, confidential, non-judgemental space to explore this Ben works with individuals to make sense of who they are and how they respond to the world today, and to explore new ways of being Ben is also...

Oxford Circus

Therapist Geraldine Lothian
Geraldine Lothian

Consultant Therapist Geraldine (she/her) is a psychodynamic psychotherapist who works with individuals Geraldine’s style of therapy is to work collaboratively with her clients and at each client’s pace  It is sometimes difficult to make the decision to start therapy but Geraldine works together with her clients to address any issues that may feel difficult to...

Fitzrovia

Therapist Stamatia Lorentzou
Stamatia Lorentzou

Senior Consultant Therapist Stamatia draws on a broad range of theories of psychotherapy She works collaboratively with her clients to understand the causes of their concern and find ways to move forward Stamatia offers both short-term and longer-term therapy She has worked in various organisational settings with individuals seeking to address relationship issues,...

Bloomsbury

Therapist Rhiannon Whipps
Rhiannon Whipps

Consultant Therapist Rhiannon is a psychodynamic counsellor and psychotherapist with over ten years experience of working within the field of mental health Rhiannon provides an empathic and non-judgemental therapeutic space for her clients to explore any difficulties which they may be facing Within the safety of a confidential environment, she encourages her clients...

Oxford Circus

Soho

Therapist Patricia Connolly
Patricia Connolly

Consultant Psychodynamic Psychotherapist Patricia works within a psychodynamic approach This focuses on early life experience and  relationships to help you understand how they shape who you are in the present When you begin to more fully explore your emotions and attitudes you can find a deeper self–knowledge, which can also transform the way you relate to...

Soho