National Grief Awareness Week 2nd – 8th December 2023
Firstly, please accept my condolences I am sorry for your loss. This week is National Grief Awareness Week and whilst every single person experiences loss in their life in different circumstances and to different extents, when it occurs some people can be uncomfortable with their expression of grief and the associated thoughts and feelings which accompany it. Some describe feeling overcome or frightened by their emotions, some angry, others feel distraught, numb or lost. There isn’t a prescribed right or wrong way to grieve, nor a certified time limit, and you shouldn’t feel pressurised to “move on”, it’s ok for you to express your grief in your way even if it’s not what other show or expect.
When someone close to you passes away, the thoughts and feelings you experience vary. Sometimes, they may be very intense and stop you from functioning completely, feeling overwhelmed, unable to concentrate or work. At other times, they maybe in the background allowing you to go about your day, there is no rhyme or reason.
How you feel and react depends on several different factors with the grieving process individual to each and every one of us. Your feelings can change from day to day, hour to hour or minute by minute as you experience waves of grief which can continue affecting your normal baseline function for at least 12 months.
Whilst dealing with grief you can expect to experience sleepless nights and stomach troubles as your adrenal glands are pumping out more cortisol that usual. Cortisol is commonly known as the stress hormone.
Unsurprisingly, normal levels of stress also seem to linger for longer, which can be the case for anticipatory grief or complicated grief. Everyday issues are compounded with your parasympathetic nervous system taking over as it responds to your stress levels. Ordinarily, this is a good thing although if experienced for a prolonged period of time it can result in inflammation within your body and organs.
Whilst it is true that people deal with grief differently at times it can become problematic, completely taking over their life, this is where it’s especially important to seek the right support for you.
How can Hypnotherapy support you with grief and loss?
Undertaking hypnotherapy can help you by providing a calm peaceful sanctuary, with valuable time and space to focus on yourself, process your loss, your emotions and considered next steps for the future. By incorporating deep relaxation within your session, it allows your mind time to rest from your grief whilst also calming your sympathetic nervous system “fight or flight mode”.
In time hypnosis can also help you reach a point where the memories of your loved one can be remembered and enjoyed without the attached pain of missing them.
Hypnotherapy helps create a state of deep relaxation allowing access to your subconscious mind. When you’re in the grieving process, it can help to teach your brain to focus on the positive love you shared, rather than on the sadness of your loss. During your sessions you will find;
- It will provide a peaceful and safe haven where you can rest from your grief
- Over time it will help reduce the unbearable intensity of your grief
- It will help you look after yourself with compassion and self-awareness
- It will enable you to identify strategies to take care of yourself
- You can organize your grief, and grieve at your own pace instead of all the time
- You can find a place for grief that does not overwhelm you
- You can reconnect with the positive memories of the person you have lost
- You can enjoy your memories without them being charged with painful feelings
- It will allow you to access feelings of calm and strength
- It will help you move on with your life without attached guilt when you are ready
- You will feel empowered to get things done identifying your next steps
- You will receive a bespoke guided relaxation to listen to each day helping the process
- You will be shown simple breathing techniques to use when required
Grieving can be a long process exacerbated at certain times of year, that said, grief is not a permanent state of mind, rather a process that everyone goes through. With the help of hypnotherapy, the process will become less troubled with tension, stress and anxiety, and instead transformed into a time full of love, positive remembrance and appreciation.
There are multiple benefits of taking time for yourself to grieve including:
- Being kind and patient with yourself, allowing yourself time to process your grief.
- You will be able to provide attention to your other needs throughout the day, such as proper hygiene, eating balanced meals, and getting the right amount of rest.
- Remembering the person for who they were when they were alive, and not letting them be defined by their passing.
If you are interested in seeking support and wish to discover more, or discuss further, please get in touch for a supportive conversation. I offer a FREE confidential 45-minute initial consultation conducted online whereby I obtain enough information allowing me to understand what’s happened, where you are now and what you would like to achieve in a sensitive and understanding manner – there is no rush. I’ll then formulate your bespoke treatment plan where the average number of solution focused sessions required ranges between 6-12 depending on the individual, symptoms and desired progress. After your initial consultation, I’ll provided you with a copy of my relaxing audio to listen to each day which amongst other things will help you relax.
Each subsequent session is 60 minutes in duration, consisting of psychotherapy (talking therapy), concluding with deeply relaxing hypnosis. This enables your subconscious mind to begin consolidating your new neural pathways unlocking your brain from its permanent stress response, enabling you to cope better and slowly move forward.
Subsequent sessions are available either online or face to face at Ironstone Wellbeing Centre, Ironstone Place, Kettering, NN14 1FN, it’s down to your personal preference and circumstances as to which you choose, and you can always try both to discover which you feel more comfortable with.
Please know that there is help and support available to you during this difficult time. When you are ready please get in touch, most importantly there is hope in your future.
Take care of you, Jane x
Jane Lyall – DSFH, AfSFH (Reg), CNHC (Reg, NCH (Reg)
Solution Focused Clinical Hypnotherapist and Psychotherapist
Tel: 07547 935519
Email: jane@silvercloudhypnotherapy.co.uk
https://www.silvercloudhypnotherapy.co.uk/
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