Navigating Grief Together

Nobody prepares you for that question.

How many kids do you have?

It's small talk.
They don't know.
They're just being friendly.

And in the space of one second
you have to decide.

Do I say the number that includes them?
Do I say the number that doesn't?

If I include them I have to explain.
Watch their face change.
Carry their discomfort on top of my own grief.

If I don't include them...
it feels like a betrayal.
Like I just erased them from existence
to make a stranger comfortable.

There is no right answer.
There is no easy answer.

There is just you.
Standing in a checkout line.
At a work event.
At a dinner party.

Doing math that should never have to be done.

Counting a child
who should still be here to count.

Are you struggling without your Mum or Dad?

One of the questions I'm asked most often is, "What can I expect if I come along?"

Well tomorrow is Monday, why nit make tomorrow the day you take that first step..

Navigating Grief Together is a peer-led bereavement support group. It's not counselling, therapy, or a place where you'll be expected to sit in a circle and share your deepest thoughts with a room full of strangers.

In fact, there's no pressure to speak at all.

What you will find is kindness, understanding, a warm welcome, a cuppa, and friendship from people who truly understand grief because they're living with it too.

Many people worry they'll walk into a room full of people crying. The reality is usually very different. More often you'll find people chatting, catching up, sharing stories, supporting one another, smiling, and sometimes even having a laugh together. Of course, there are tears too. Different memories, anniversaries, and life events affect us all in different ways, and when someone needs to cry, that's absolutely okay. That's part of what the group is there for.

The thing about grief is that most of us don't look any different from anyone else. We don't walk around with a label above our heads saying we're grieving. We look like ordinary people because we are ordinary people.

But there are things we understand that others sometimes can't.

We understand what it feels like to reach for the phone to call someone and suddenly remember they're no longer there. We understand getting two mugs out for a cup of tea before realising you only need one. We understand wanting to visit your mum, dad, partner, sibling, child or friend because you need a hug, only to remember that you can't.

Those moments, and a million others, are part of grief.

Each of us is walking our own path, but we don't have to walk it alone. Together we support one another through the difficult days, celebrate the small victories, and remind each other that although grief changes our lives, it doesn't have to define them.

Together, we are stronger.

TOMORROW is our Thursday gathering at Bilton Club, on Skipton Road in Harrogate. 12.30PM until 2.30pm. (Opposite Kings Road).

I hope some of you who are watching from the sidelines may feel brave enough to come along and take that first step into support from people who truly understand your pain because they are feeling the same.

One of the questions I'm asked most often is, "What can I expect if I come along?"

Navigating Grief Together is a peer-led bereavement support group. It's not counselling, therapy, or a place where you'll be expected to sit in a circle and share your deepest thoughts with a room full of strangers.

In fact, there's no pressure to speak at all.

What you will find is kindness, understanding, a warm welcome, a cuppa, and friendship from people who truly understand grief because they're living with it too.

Many people worry they'll walk into a room full of people crying. The reality is usually very different. More often you'll find people chatting, catching up, sharing stories, supporting one another, smiling, and sometimes even having a laugh together. Of course, there are tears too. Different memories, anniversaries, and life events affect us all in different ways, and when someone needs to cry, that's absolutely okay. That's part of what the group is there for.

The thing about grief is that most of us don't look any different from anyone else. We don't walk around with a label above our heads saying we're grieving. We look like ordinary people because we are ordinary people.

But there are things we understand that others sometimes can't.

We understand what it feels like to reach for the phone to call someone and suddenly remember they're no longer there. We understand getting two mugs out for a cup of tea before realising you only need one. We understand wanting to visit your mum, dad, partner, sibling, child or friend because you need a hug, only to remember that you can't.

Those moments, and a million others, are part of grief.

Each of us is walking our own path, but we don't have to walk it alone. Together we support one another through the difficult days, celebrate the small victories, and remind each other that although grief changes our lives, it doesn't have to define them.

Together, we are stronger..

Navigating Grief Together welcomes everyone. If you have lost a parent or a child and are over the age of 18, you will find comfort here.

If you're thinking about coming along to Navigating Grief Together for the first time, you may be wondering what to expect.

You can be assured of a warm and friendly welcome. From the moment you arrive, someone will meet you at the door, have a chat with you, explain how the group works, help you find a seat, and introduce you to others if you'd like them to.

Navigating Grief Together is a peer-led bereavement support group where people who understand grief support one another with kindness, compassion and genuine understanding. There is no pressure to talk, no expectations, and no judgement. You are welcome to simply sit with a cuppa and listen if that feels right for you.

The group is completely free to attend, with free refreshments available throughout the session.

We meet every week, including Bank Holidays, and over time have grown into a thriving and supportive community. Many people tell us that having somewhere they feel understood has made a real difference during one of the most difficult and traumatic times in their lives.

There is no time limit on grief. Whether your loss was recent or many years ago, you will be welcomed exactly as you are.

You don't have to face grief alone. 💜