Death is a subject, I myself struggle to talk about, I'm not alone in that I think. So today as part of Dying Matters Week, I'm talking to Louise Holyoake, a counsellor specialising in grief, bereavement and loss.

She trained with Cruse in Sandwell and after qualifying stayed with them for 3 years. She also did some voluntary bereavement work with Kemp Hospice in Kidderminster. Now working in private practice from a room in her house. Currently working Monday to Thursday from 9am to around 6pm. She's fully accredited member of the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society, has a full enchanced DBS check and is fully insured.

Everyone deals with grief differently, Louise said some cry for days, hardly taking a moment to care for themselves. Others laugh, whether nervously or because they manage pain with humour. Others feel numb and wonder why they aren't crying or laughing like the others. Each of these reactions is normal - there's no right way to grieve. Every loss we have will have a unique grief process as each of our relationships are unique. As a therapist Louise helps her clients come to terms with their loss in their own personal way.

Grief refers to the thoughts, feelings and behaviours connected to the loss of a loved one, a job, an object or anything else a person values. However when we talk about grief, it's usually in the context of bereavement.

For more information on the process of grieving, acute grief, integrated grief or complicated grief please visit Louise's website.

Stepping Stones

Louise Holyoake

http://louiseholyoake.co.uk/