BEREAVEMENT
SUPPORT
caring about you
SUPPORT AND
UNDERSTANDING
At Steels we care for your loved one on your behalf but we also care for you. We understand how difficult it is to navigate through a funeral whilst grieving for your loss. We are here to help you with bereavement support.
We know that no-one can understand exactly what your loss feels like to you. It can help to share some of that journey with someone who understands loss and grief and can offer support. We also understand how difficult that can be to access.
You may expect to be very upset or distressed when someone close to you 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. Please be assured that there are no set timescales for grief.
We offer several options to help. If you think it would be useful for you, or anyone in your family, young or old, to talk to a bereavement counsellor then talk to your Funeral Director who can arrange for you to see Ali Hixon who is our in-house trained bereavement counsellor and a Director at Steels. We do not charge for this service and Ali will support you to get help as you transition through the stages of grief. Whilst some people prefer face to face bereavement support others prefer an online approach. For that reason we also offer the GriefChat service free of charge.
GRIEFCHAT
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) or by email out of these hours.
Here are some useful links for specific support for the loss of a baby or child:
- Child Bereavement UK. Provides support for children after a loved one dies, and also for families who have lost a child.
- SANDS (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death). Bereavement support and grief counselling for anyone, including healthcare professionals, affected by the death of a baby.
- Winston’s Wish. Helps children and families after the death of a close family relative, including after a long illness, suicide or on military service.
GriefChat provides emotional support for bereaved people, access to trained bereavement counsellors and referral into other specialist bereavement services. Sometimes it helps to connect with others who have a shared experience so below are some useful resources that you can click on to go directly to their websites.
Here are some useful links to bereavement support charities and organisations:
- Age UK. The country’s largest charity dedicated to helping everyone make the most of later life. We provide companionship, advice and support for older people who need it most.
- At a Loss. Directing the bereaved and those supporting them to information and services appropriate to their loss.
- Brake. A helpline for families and individuals who have lost a loved one in a traffic accident.
- Cruse Bereavement. Provides bereavement support, grief counselling and other help and resources for anyone in the UK who has lost a loved one.
- Dying Matters. A coalition of individual and organisational members across England and Wales, which aims to help people talk more openly about dying, death and bereavement, and to make plans for the end of life.
- Good Grief Trust. Provides comprehensive online bereavement support and information.
- GriefChat. Provides emotional support for bereaved people, access to trained bereavement counsellors and referral into other specialist bereavement services.
- Grief Encounter. Supporting bereaved children and their families when they have lost someone close.
- Macmillan Cancer Support. Providing confidential support to people with cancer and those caring for cancer patients.
- Mind Charity. Provide help and advice to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem.
- Samaritans. 24-hour confidential listening service.
- St Johns Winchester. We are proud to be a Community Connector for St John’s Winchester hand in hand service, who support the over 55s with a befriending and wellbeing service.
- Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide. Self-help organisation who aim to provide a safe, confidential environment in which bereaved adults can share their experiences and find support.
- WAY Widowed and Young. A network specifically for men and women under 51 years of age who have lost their spouse or partner.
- Winchester Youth Counselling. Providing counselling and support to young people aged 11–25 who live in the district of Winchester.
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