Bereavement and counselling support
Supporting family, friends and carers
Coming to terms with the reality of a life limiting diagnosis can be devastating; you may feel lots of different emotions, from anger, sadness, disbelief or even guilt. These feelings are completely natural but they can affect you in different ways, you may find it hard to concentrate, remember things, motivate yourself, or impact on your thoughts and beliefs, leading you to feel isolated.
It can be good to talk through these feelings either individually or in a group setting with someone who is independent, Oakhaven's counsellors are trained to listen to and support you, during your illness and help you come to terms with your diagnosis.
Coping with bereavement
Losing someone you love can be one of the most devastating experiences you ever face and the range of emotions you may feel can be confusing. It can alter the way you think, the way you behave and disturb your sleep patterns. This is normal.
As you express your grief through a period of mourning, you find ways to adapt to the loss so that you can learn to live with it. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you get over what has happened, but you learn to adjust your life to accommodate it.
The Patient and Family Support team offers a range of support at our Wellbeing Centre including counselling, coping with grief courses and bereavement cafes.
What is grief?
Grief is the intense sorrow someone can feel at the loss of a loved one. Everyone will suffer from grief at some stage in their lives and although there are common physical and emotional symptoms, the important thing to remember is that the way each individual deals with it and the length of time it takes to come to terms with that loss will be different.
How do I get help?
Anyone who is or has been cared for, by Oakhaven Hospice can access this service, this also includes the family and friends of the patient. Please fill out our self assessment form to request support:
Alternatively you can download a printed form and bring it to Oakhaven, email it to counselling@oakhavenhospice.co.uk or post it to us.
Other sources of help
Depending on your needs and location there are also a range of organisations who can help you with face to face or provide advice over the phone.
