Grief & Bereavement Counselling in Shrewsbury
Losing someone important to you can change your life in ways you never expected. Whether you've lost a husband, wife, partner, parent, child, family member or close friend, grief can leave you struggling with sadness, anger, guilt, regret, anxiety or a sense that life will never feel the same again.
I'm Gary Redmond, an experienced counsellor offering
private, face-to-face grief and bereavement counselling in Shrewsbury, with more than 25 years' experience helping people through difficult emotional experiences, including bereavement, traumatic loss and major changes in their lives. My approach is practical, personal and focused on helping you find a way forward. You don't have to forget someone you loved, deny what happened or stop caring about them in order to begin feeling better.
"Pain is not a measure of love."
"You don't have to keep suffering to keep loving someone you've lost."When Grief Becomes Difficult to Live With
There is no single way to experience grief, and there is no timetable that tells you when you should feel better. For some people, the pain begins immediately. For others, the full emotional impact comes much later. Sometimes grief continues for years, particularly when a death was sudden, traumatic or accompanied by feelings of guilt, anger or unfinished business.
You may be experiencing:
- Overwhelming sadness or persistent unhappiness.
- Guilt about things you did or didn't say or do.
- Anger about the circumstances of someone's death.
- Anxiety, fear or difficulty coping with everyday life.
- Difficulty accepting what has happened.
- Repeatedly thinking about the circumstances of the loss.
- Feelings of helplessness, loneliness or emotional exhaustion.
- Grief that has remained painful for many years.
You may also find yourself feeling guilty whenever you laugh, enjoy yourself or begin to feel happy again, as though moving forward would somehow mean leaving the person you've lost behind.
These are all experiences we can explore together.
A Different Approach to Grief Counselling
Much of my work involves helping people understand not only what has happened in their lives, but also what is happening within them in response to it. We cannot change the fact that someone has died. But it may be possible to change the way we experience and respond to the thoughts, feelings and painful memories that continue to affect us. My approach to
bereavement counselling is active and conversational. I listen carefully, ask questions, offer explanations and help you look at your situation from perspectives you may not previously have considered. I won't ask you to forget the person you've lost, minimise their importance or pretend that everything is okay Nor do I believe that everyone needs to spend months or years repeatedly revisiting painful events before they can begin to feel better.
The purpose of our work is to help you understand what is keeping you emotionally distressed and discover whether there is a different way of living with what has happened.
Counselling Following Suicide, Sudden Death and Traumatic Loss
Some bereavements are especially difficult because of the circumstances surrounding them. The death of someone through suicide, a sudden accident or an unexpected illness can leave people struggling with questions that seem impossible to answer. You may feel responsible for something you couldn't prevent, angry about what happened or troubled by thoughts of what you might have done differently. I have worked with clients experiencing these kinds of losses, including people dealing with suicide bereavement, the sudden death of a parent and the lasting emotional effects of traumatic experiences.
These situations deserve sensitivity, understanding and the opportunity to talk openly without fear of judgement.
When Grief Has Lasted for Years
Not everyone seeks grief counselling shortly after a death. Sometimes people carry the emotional effects of losing someone for decades. They may have continued working, raised families and apparently got on with life, yet still experience painful feelings associated with the loss. I've worked with people whose bereavement happened many years earlier and who were surprised by how much it continued to affect them.
However long ago your loss occurred, it is still possible to explore what you're experiencing now and whether things could be different.
What My Clients Have Said
My experience of grief and bereavement counselling is reflected in the words of former clients.One client from Telford came to see me following the suicide of her husband, having previously sought help from several counsellors. Another client described the grief, guilt and anger he experienced after the sudden death of his mother. A further client spoke about finding relief from grief associated with losing his mother more than fifty years earlier. Their accounts describe their personal experiences of working with me and the changes they felt able to make.
Read my General Counselling Testimonials, including the section
Grief, Trauma and Loss, to see their accounts in their own words.
Private Face-to-Face Bereavement Counselling in Shrewsbury
I offer individual grief and bereavement counselling at my private practice in Shrewsbury, welcoming adults from Shrewsbury and surrounding areas of Shropshire, including Telford, Wem and Oswestry. Sessions are confidential, personal and focused on your individual circumstances.
Session fee: £75 for a full 60-minute appointment. There is no requirement to commit to a package or predetermined number of sessions. We can discuss what you need and take things from there.
Book a Grief & Bereavement Counselling Appointment
If you're struggling following the death of someone important to you, or you're still carrying the emotional effects of a loss from many years ago, you're welcome to get in touch. You don't need to know exactly what to say or even what you want from counselling before making contact.
Contact & Booking — Arrange a private, face-to-face counselling appointment in Shrewsbury.
Gary Redmond — The Counsellor Coach. Over 25 Years' Experience | Private Counselling in Shrewsbury
