Bereavement Support & Cafes

Until recently talking openly about death and the loss of a loved one was a subject many people would shy away from or even avoid altogether. As a result, those who had lost a loved one found themselves coping with their own personal grief by themselves.

But attitudes are beginning to change, and bereavement cafes have started to spring up all over the country to give those who have lost a loved one a safe and friendly environment to find support and friendship from others who understand.

 

I first joined a bereavement group when I started out on my journey to becoming a celebrant. I felt that it was important for me to look at my own grief journey and begin to understand the experiences and individual journeys of others. Being part of the group has been an incredibly valuable experience for me and within a year I had set up two further groups to enable others to benefit from the support and friendship offered to me.

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We decided to call them ‘The Inbetweenies – A support group looking forward following loss.’ We are all on that journey that starts with loss, and although we never fully overcome grief, over time, we learn to live with it and look to the future. Grief is not a linear process and there is no set time frame that we all follow to ‘overcome’ our grief. Everyone’s grief journey is unique to them. However, the one thing I can guarantee is that although we do not claim to know how you are feeling, we do all understand what you are going through.

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As a celebrant I believe that the support I give to my families should not end when the funeral ceremony ends. Funeral directors and celebrants should ensure that families know that longer term support is available to them, and I am actively promoting the bereavement cafes I run to local authorities, doctors’ surgeries, funeral directors and use social media to spread the message.

The groups are open to all, and I guarantee a warm welcome, and a chat over a cup of coffee and some cake.

Please feel free to contact me if you would like more details.