Bereavement support
We understand that coping with grief after the death of a loved one can be one of the hardest experiences we ever have to go through as human beings. It can be a time where you might be struggling with lots of difficult emotions, which can sometimes feel completely overwhelming.
Inheritance disputes are unfortunately something that can naturally follow on from the passing of a family member or loved.
Grief and loss
Grief is understood as a natural response to loss. It’s the emotional suffering you feel when something or someone you love is taken away. Often, the pain of loss can feel overwhelming. You may experience all kinds of difficult and unexpected emotions, from shock or anger to disbelief, guilt, and profound sadness. The pain of grief can also disrupt your physical health, making it difficult to sleep, eat, or even think straight.
These are normal reactions to loss — and the more significant the loss, the more intense your grief will be.
How can I cope with the grief that loss brings?
While grieving and loss are a sad yet inevitable part of our lives, there are some ways to help cope with the pain, come to terms with your grief, and eventually, find a way to pick up the pieces and move on with your life.
Some of the methods to help cope with your grief may include:
Recognising the difference between grief and depression
Acknowledging your pain
Accepting that grief can trigger many different & unexpected emotions
Understanding that your grieving process will be unique to you
Seeking out face-to-face support from people who care about you
Supporting yourself emotionally by taking care of yourself physically
Family disputes and grieving
With the effects of grief and loss in mind, where possible, it helps to resolve disputes through careful communication and mediation – rather than going to court.
What do we mean by ‘mediation’?
Mediation is a confidential process used to settle a dispute between two or more people, outside of court. It involves an appointed mediator, who is an independent and impartial third person, to help all parties talk through their issues, negotiate a solution and arrive at a mutually agreeable resolution.
Where can I find other bereavement support?
GriefChat provides emotional support for bereaved people, access to trained bereavement counsellors and referral into other specialist bereavement services.
Most people expect to be very upset or distressed when someone close to them has died. What takes many people by surprise is how strong the emotions can be, how they can change very quickly, and how long they last. People around you may seem to think you should be ‘back to normal’ after a few weeks or months. You might appear to be your usual self to other people, but you know that on the inside, you’re not even sure what normal is anymore.
Everyone grieves in a way that is unique to them and their relationship with the person who has died. Well-intentioned people may say to you, ‘Time is a great healer.’ Sometimes, however, it can seem that life is more difficult as the weeks and months go by.
We know that no-one can understand exactly what your loss feels like to you. But we do understand that it’s sometimes easier to talk to someone outside of your friends and family about grief and the impact of bereavement of your life and this is why we offer the GriefChat service.
GriefChat was created by bereavement experts and by clicking on the GriefChat box below, you can chat directly to a specially trained bereavement counsellor. GriefChat counsellors are experienced in supporting bereaved people and will listen to your story, explore how your grief is affecting you and help you to find any additional support you might need. GriefChat is a completely free service and is available Monday-Friday, 9am-9pm (except Bank Holidays).