8th August 2021

Following the loss of a loved one, you will experience feelings of grief and loss - something always hard to cope with on your own. You may consider reaching out to a bereavement counsellor in Harrogate or online, who can help you talk through complex feelings and emotions.

However, reaching out to a stranger for help with such an acutely personal matter can feel scary, especially if you haven’t done it before. You might not know how to get in touch, or what happens next when you do. To help you out, here is a simple, step-by-step guide of what happens when you seek bereavement counselling for the first time.

Getting In Touch

There are a few ways to reach out to a bereavement counsellor. You can send them an email or text, requesting a time for an initial consultation over the phone/Zoom. They will get back to you with a time when they are available for a chat. Or you can simply call them up. If the bereavement counsellor is busy, they will call you back to arrange a time. You are never required to give any details about your problem when you initially reach out.

Initial Consultation

Like many bereavement counsellors in Harrogate, I offer a free, no-obligation consultation call lasting around 15 to 30 minutes. This allows you to ask any questions you might have about bereavement counselling and get a sense of who I am as a person. You can talk through the issues you are facing - in a way that is comfortable to you - and I will explain to you how we will work together.

Arrange Further Sessions

The initial consultation is for you to decide whether I am the right bereavement counsellor for you. Are you comfortable talking to me? Can you imagine having further sessions with me? If you do indeed feel happy to proceed, we will agree a schedule for further sessions, which usually take place on a weekly basis. Depending on your preferences, we can organise meetings - done either face-to-face, telephone or on Zoom - on a session-by-session basis, or agree on a fixed period of time. It’s totally up to you.

First Session

It’s natural to feel nervous ahead of your first bereavement counselling session. Opening up isn’t easy, and for many people it takes time before they start truly vocalising their feelings. This is a no-pressure, non-judgemental space for you to explore your feelings in your own time. There is no right way to do bereavement counselling. I am simply here to act as your friendly, confidential guide as you talk through - and eventually move past - difficult emotions associated with grief and loss.

Review

After a few sessions, we will discuss how you are feeling about our work together. If you sense that things are improving for you, we will keep going in the same way. It may get to a point where, over time, you no longer feel like weekly sessions are necessary, and prefer to do sessions every two weeks instead. On the other hand, you might not feel like our sessions are working - in which case we can either part ways or take a different approach. You should never hesitate to talk to me about how you are feeling about our sessions.

So, if you are experiencing feelings of grief and loss and want to talk them through with a bereavement counsellor in Harrogate or online, get in touch with me to arrange for a free initial consultation.