NURTURING MINDS, EMPOWERING WELLBEING
Grief Has No Timeline and No Right Way
Losing someone, or something, that mattered deeply is one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. Grief is not a problem to be solved or a process to be completed. It is the natural, human response to love and loss, and it looks different for every person who experiences it.
There is no correct way to grieve. Some people cry; others feel numb. Some feel a sharp, immediate pain; others find grief surfaces weeks or months after a loss, once the practicalities have settled and the reality begins to set in. Some feel guilt, anger, or relief alongside the sadness, and find those feelings harder to make sense of. All of it is part of grief, and none of it is wrong.
Bereavement counselling is not about moving you through a set of stages or helping you get over a loss. It is about giving you a private, unhurried space to carry it; somewhere you can talk honestly, at your own pace, about the person you have lost and what their absence means for you now.
If grief is making daily life feel very difficult, or if you simply feel you need somewhere to put it, you are welcome to get in touch.
When Grief Might Benefit From Support
Grief is not a condition, and reaching out for support does not mean something is wrong with how you are grieving. But there are times when having a professional space alongside the people in your life can make a real difference. You might benefit from bereavement counselling if you are experiencing:
Intense or overwhelming sadness
Difficulty accepting that the loss has happened
Struggling to return to daily routines
Numbness or feeling disconnected from life
Disrupted sleep or changes in appetite
Feeling that you cannot talk about your grief with the people around you
Guilt, anger or regret connected to the loss
Withdrawing from friends and family
Grief that feels as raw now as it did immediately after the loss
However long ago the loss occurred, and whatever form your grief has taken, support is available.
How We Can Work Together
There is no agenda in bereavement counselling, and no expectation of where you should be or how far along you ought to have come. My role is not to guide you towards a particular outcome but to be alongside you in a space that belongs entirely to you. Some clients want to talk about the person they have lost. Others want to make sense of complicated feelings they have not been able to name. Some arrive not knowing what they need at all. All of that is a completely valid place to begin, and we will work from wherever you are.
Step 1
Book your free consultation:
Reach out via the contact page with a brief message about what you are looking for.
Jo will arrange a free 15-minute consulation call at a time that suits you. It is a relaxed, no-obligation conversation, and the best way to find out whether working together feels right.
Step 2
Your first session
If you decide to go ahead, your first session is focused on understanding your experience and beginning to build a picture of what the work might look like. Nothing is rushed, and you are in control of the pace throughout.
Step 3
Begin your therapy
Sessions build on each other over time. Jo will work with you to understand what is driving your depression and find the approaches that genuinely help. You will always be involved in decisions about your care.
Other Areas I Can Help With
Grief often brings other difficulties alongside it. If depression, anxiety or relationship strain are also part of what you are carrying, support is available for those too.
Flexible online therapy sessions for clients across the UK, with the same quality of care from wherever you are.
If you are living with depression or persistent low mood, online therapy offers a confidential and consistent space to begin working through it, in your own time and at your own pace.
Working through relationship difficulties as an individual is just as effective online as in person. If you are finding it hard to talk about what is happening in your relationships, a private online session can feel like a more accessible place to start.
The Flash Technique is well suited to online delivery. If you are looking for specialist trauma therapy and cannot access it locally, online sessions make it possible to work with a trained specialist regardless of where you are based.
Anxiety and chronic stress can make it difficult to leave the house, travel, or sit in a waiting room. Online therapy removes those barriers entirely, so that getting support does not have to feel like another source of pressure.
About Your Therapist
Jo Chhachhia is a BACP registered psychotherapist with more than 2,000 hours of clinical experience across NHS acute settings, adolescent and adult mental health services, bereavement support and private practice. She holds a BSc in Psychology (First Class Honours) and an MSc in Psychotherapeutic Counselling, and brings a depth of experience in working with grief and loss that is both clinically grounded and deeply human.
Jo's practice in Penn, Wolverhampton is a calm, private space designed to help clients feel at ease from the moment they arrive. Online sessions are equally available for clients across the UK.
Professionally Registered and Fully Insured
Jo is a registered member of the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy), one of the UK's most respected professional bodies for the therapy and counselling professions. BACP registration requires therapists to meet rigorous standards of training, ethics and continuing professional development. Choosing a BACP registered therapist gives you confidence that the care you receive meets nationally recognised professional standards.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bereavement Counselling
Is it normal to still be grieving a long time after a loss?
Yes. There is no correct timeline for grief, and the idea that you should be "over it" by a certain point is not supported by how grief actually works. Some losses stay with us for years; others resurface unexpectedly long after we thought we had found a way through. The length of time since a loss has no bearing on whether support is appropriate or useful.
What is the difference between grief and depression?
The two can look very similar, and in some cases grief can develop into depression. The key difference is that grief tends to come in waves, with moments of respite, and is directly connected to the experience of loss. Depression tends to be more pervasive and persistent. If you are unsure which you are experiencing, the free consultation call is a good place to start that conversation.
Only if and when you want to. There is no obligation to approach anything before you are ready. Some clients spend their first few sessions barely mentioning the person directly; others want to talk about them from the very beginning. Both are completely fine. Jo will follow your lead.
Is bereavement counselling only for people who have lost someone to death?
No. People seek bereavement support for many types of loss, including the end of a significant relationship, a diagnosis that changes life as you knew it, redundancy, the loss of a home, or a miscarriage or pregnancy loss. If a loss of any kind is affecting your life and you feel you need support, you are welcome to reach out.
How many sessions will I need?
This is different for every client and every loss. Some people find a short focused course of sessions gives them what they need; others find that ongoing support over a longer period is more helpful, particularly where grief is complex or where other difficulties are present alongside it. Jo will discuss this with you as your therapy unfolds.
Can I have sessions online?
Yes. Online sessions are available and offer the same level of care, confidentiality and professionalism as in-person appointments. For clients who find travelling or attending appointments in person difficult, particularly in the early stages of grief, online sessions can be a much more manageable way to begin.
You Do Not Have to Carry This Alone
Grief can be an isolating experience, even when you are surrounded by people who care. Having a space that is entirely your own, where there is no expectation and no time limit, can make a quiet but real difference. Jo's free 15-minute consultation call is a gentle, no-obligation first step. There is nothing to prepare and no commitment required.
Please note: Wellness Psychology operates a strict clinical screening process. All new clients must complete a brief initial telephone consultation prior to booking. We do not offer emergency or immediate crisis intervention.
If you are in crisis or need urgent support, please do not wait for a reply here. In a medical emergency or if you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999. For urgent help that isn't a 999 emergency, you can call 101. You can also speak to the Samaritans, free, 24 hours a day, on 116 123.