Why does grief overwhelm me when I thought I was managing?
The first thing to say is that grief is a natural response to loss. It isn't something you move through in a straight line, and there's no fixed timetable for it, whatever anyone else implies.
Grief doesn't need to be solved. It needs somewhere to be held, without judgement.
You may have noticed the feeling arrives in waves, settling for a while, then resurfacing without warning at an anniversary, a smell, a piece of music, an ordinary Tuesday. What often makes grief harder to carry isn't the sadness itself, but a nervous system stuck in a heightened, exhausted state on top of it, leaving little capacity for anything else.
We don't try to help you 'get over' your grief, or rush any part of the process. We work gently, at your pace, with the exhaustion and dysregulation that often sits alongside grief, so you have a steadier foundation to carry what you're carrying.
What happens over our four sessions?
I work within a structured programme of four sessions (usually weekly, where possible) because meaningful change rarely happens in a single appointment. Each session builds on the last, giving your mind and body time to settle, learn and change.
Your first session starts with a conversation. We'll take time to understand what's been happening, what you'd like to be different, and answer any questions you have about the process. I'll then guide you into hypnosis, a calm, inward-focused state, rather like daydreaming, but with a purpose. You remain aware and in control throughout. Many people tell me it's one of the most relaxing experiences they've had in a long time.
Each session is tailored to you and builds on your progress, combining conversation, hypnosis and practical tools where appropriate. You'll also receive personalised audio recordings to listen to between sessions, helping to reinforce the work we're doing together.
What people often notice
People often come feeling depleted by the grief. What tends to follow reaches further: more capacity for daily life, sleep that isn't constantly disrupted, and space to feel what you feel without it derailing everything else.
Is this the right approach for you?
Your free consultation is a chance to talk through what's been happening, and decide together whether this feels like the right approach for you. If grief has become very prolonged, is accompanied by significant depression, or the loss was traumatic, working with a bereavement counsellor or psychotherapist alongside this, or instead of it, may be the better starting point, and I'll always say so if that seems right for you.
Ready for a little more steadiness?
Start with a free, friendly chatMelissa is an HPD Level 4 Clinical Hypnotherapist, registered with the NCH, BSCH and CNHC, working with adults, children and teens in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, and online.