Someone I care about
1:1 grief support coaching
It can be difficult to know what to do when somebody you care about is grieving. You might worry about saying the wrong thing, wonder whether you should mention the person who died, find yourself unsure how often to get in touch, or not know what to do when messages go unanswered. You might be trying so hard not to intrude that you've begun to step back, while also wondering whether that's actually what the other person wants.
Or perhaps the relationship itself has become more difficult. You may be grieving too, responding to the loss very differently, feeling unsure about somebody's behaviour, or finding that conversations which once came easily now feel much harder.
1:1 coaching gives you somewhere to explore your particular relationship and situation, rather than relying on generic advice about what grieving people need.
We can look at what is actually happening between you, what you know and what you may be assuming, what you're finding difficult, and what gets in the way of communicating in the way you would like. We might explore your fear of getting it wrong, your confidence in starting difficult conversations, how you respond when somebody becomes upset, how comfortable you are with silence or strong emotion, and whether you're putting pressure on yourself to somehow make things better.
Depending on what you bring, coaching might include building confidence in communicating, listening without immediately trying to fix, asking rather than assuming, making offers of help that don't create more work, responding when someone doesn't reply, knowing when to give space without disappearing, talking about the person who died, understanding different ways people grieve, setting your own boundaries, and finding ways of staying connected over time.
I can bring grief education and communication approaches where they are useful, but the session isn't about giving you a script or telling you how to manage somebody else's grief. We'll use what we explore to help you understand your own responses, consider the other person's experience without assuming we know what they think or feel, and work out how you want to show up in the relationship.