Grief & Loss
"Grief is like glitter. You can throw a handful of glitter up in the air, but when you try to clean it up… you never get it all. Even long after the event, you will still find glitter tucked into corners… it will always be there. Somewhere.”
Unknown
You could say I was born into this work. In French, raison d'etre literally means “reason for being” – mine was because of a death. It is unlikely I would’ve been born without the death of my two-day old sister 14 months before. The advice sixty years ago was “have another” –– no counselling was offered; you were expected to just carry on. Sadly, I witnessed first-hand the ongoing ripple effects of a grief that wasn’t allowed to be fully expressed, nor heard; and I saw the devastating impact it had on my family. Thankfully, there is so much more support available today.
I am truly passionate about helping you navigate your way through your challenging time, whatever your loss may be. It may be bereavement due to a death, or perhaps you need support through a very difficult period of change, transition, or transformation such as leaving school or university, “empty nest,” loss of a relationship or a friendship, illness/disability, menopause, change of job, redundancy, moving home or retirement.
"The worst loss is always your loss. Only you know your loss and the meaning. Everything has changed. And change is actually grief – grief is a change we didn’t want.” (David Kessler - Grief Expert).
I promise to offer you a safe, compassionate space where you can explore how you really feel without feeling judged or censored. You deserve to feel heard and cared for as you process and adapt to the reality of your loss. Feelings can be so intense, overwhelming, and raw. You may feel nothing and wonder why. Whatever you feel is okay. I’ll help you make sense of whatever is going on for you when, and of course if, you’re ready. There’s no pressure, only what’s helpful and soothing.
I wonder if you’ve heard of the Japanese art of Kintsugi? Broken pieces of pottery are put back together with gold to highlight flaws. Far from covering them up, imperfections only increase the value. I love this idea and perhaps you will too.
Just as broken pottery becomes more valuable after repair, through counselling you can begin to heal. Counselling could enrich your life, making you feel stronger and more resilient. There is hope and you can grow. It’s not about erasing what’s happened to you, but more about learning to embrace it with compassion; remembering that this has made you the precious person you are.
Get in touch
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about how counselling works, or to arrange an initial assessment appointment. This enables us to discuss the reasons you are thinking of coming to counselling, whether it could be helpful for you and whether I am the right therapist to help.
You can also call me on 07597387434 if you would prefer to leave a message or speak to me first. I am happy to discuss any queries or questions you may have prior to arranging an initial appointment.
All enquires are usually answered within 24 hours, and all contact is strictly confidential and uses secure phone and email services.
© Jill Walton Therapeutic Counsellor
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