Donna Gibson

Shockingly but sadly not surprisingly out of touch on many levels.

Have you ever felt the need to apologise for your tears? Reflections on life, grief, joy and the weird, messy bits in between

Today is #BlueMonday, “supposedly” the most depressing day of the year. For those of us grieving, we know grief doesn’t need a day. It shows up when it wants to. Often we show this through tears which we think we should apologise for. I write about one of those moments in my new substack post #grief

Tomorrow marks the beginning of #NationalGriefWeek.

The theme this year is ‘growing with grief’ 💚.

This week I’ll be sharing on Substack my own reflections on growing with grief.

Please subscribe for my latest writing...

substack.com/@thegriefcou...

#grief #bereavement #onlinecounselling

Today is #WorldAIDSDay. Amazing news that with support, new cases of #HIV could be ended by 2030.

It's been a long time since I worked with @tht.org.uk as a trainee counsellor. I remember with fondness, the clients I worked with - coming to terms and living with their diagnosis of HIV.

Thanks for the follow 💚.

Thanks for the repost ☺️

Grief can be overwhelming and intense and sometimes you need a break.

Earlier this week, I went for a walk with a friend and took these photos (plus a bonus fly agaric pic I took a few weeks ago because it’s stunning!).

It's ok to distract yourself during grief.

#grief #bereavement #selfcare

An image from Suzanne D Williams on Unsplash of a cocoon, a more advanced cocoon and then a butterfly with a post about the metamorphosis we undergo during grief from who we were, to where we are, to who we will become.

The messy middle of #grief:

No longer who you were
Not sure who you are now
Not yet certain who you're going to be

A #metamorphosis underway - like a caterpillar before emerging as a butterfly from its cocoon.

Who are you becoming?

#griefjourney #transformation #healing #growth

Image of a large pink heart against a sage green background with the quote 'As mum had birthed us, we were now the midwives birthing her death' and a link to Donna Gibson's The Grief Counsellor Substack

Sitting with your dying loved one:

Be as calm as you can
Allow love to fill the room
Honour all the moments
Allow yourself the gift of being human through it
Simply being there is all that is needed

substack.com/@thegriefcou...

#therapistsconnect #blueskytherapists #grief #anticipatorygrief

I’m looking forward to this. Thanks for hosting it.

The Gift of Presence: Saying Goodbye to Mum 'Letters from the After' honours the messy, tender, unpolished journey of loss. Here Donna shares her reflections on being with a dying parent.

Saying goodbye to a loved one is never easy 💚.

I’ve written about being with my mum in her final hours and what loving presence really means.

Read the full reflections here: thegriefcounsellor.co.uk/the-gift-of-...

#grief #anticipatorygrief #endoflife #bereavement #palliativecare

The ‘X’ word is fast approaching. Yes, I mean…….Xmas 🎄.

Who’s holding the paradox of love it/dread it? Let me know in the comments.

For the ‘love it’ part I’ve bought a picture advent calendar to remind me of my youth. My inner child likes this.

#griefjourney #lifeafterloss #christmas #selfcare

💚Presence matters more than words - sometimes being there, witnessing and loving is all that’s needed.

💚Grief is nuanced - embrace uncertainty, contradictions and dark thoughts without judgment.

💚Self-compassion is vital - you cannot control what happens, but you can allow yourself to feel fully.

Image of a large white window with a long voile closed halfway along the window - part of a post about 3 things Donna (The Grief Counsellor) has learned since accompanying her mum during her last hours.

Next week I’ll be sharing some reflections on being with my mum in her final hours and what it can teach us. If you’re walking a similar path, I hope it brings comfort or language for what you’re carrying.

I've shared in the comments 3 things I learned:

#grief #therapistsconnect #blueskytherapists

Image of a map with pins in two locations - in reference to the term 'pulling a geographic' - moving to a new area as a means to avoiding dealing with grief or any other kind of issue - The Grief Counsellor - Donna Gibson

I was introduced to the term ‘pulling a geographic’ today.

'Griefly' it means moving location as a way of avoiding dealing with #loss.

Makes me think of @jonkabat-zinn.bsky.social's ‘wherever you go, there you are’.

We can’t literally ‘move’ away from grief.

#bereavement #mindfulness

Thanks for your thoughts @coruscate.bsky.social. This feels like a much gentler way to describe the process. It sits well with me and is much more aligned with where my heart is at.

What’s a word or phrase I can use to describe the process of going through my parents’ home and deciding what not to keep that’s not………..‘get rid of’, ‘chuck’ or ‘throw away’? I need something softer, more reverent.

#grief #therapistsconnect #blueskytherapists

The SIL of someone I studied with became a moderator on a FB group I used to run. We've been good friends for over a decade now.

I would recommend Freedom to Practice Vols I and II - Tudor and Worrall.

Read more on Substack:

substack.com/@thegriefcou...

Today I write about my artwork 'grief bomb'...........

#GriefJourney #ArtTherapy #HealingThroughArt #GriefBomb #InnerChildWork #TheGriefCounsellor #TherapistsConnect #TherapistSky

The Grief Counsellor | Substack

I started a Substack! 💚

A space where I’m writing about #grief, life & the messy moments that touch me. Sometimes it’ll be clear, often messy, always honest & probably a bit sweary!

It's not therapy or advice - just sharing what I notice, feel & wonder about in the hope it resonates with others.

I Feel Like I'm Grieving Wrong: Is There A Right Way To Grieve? Is there a right way to grieve? Letters from the After by Donna Gibson. Grief letters honouring the messy, tender, unpolished journey of loss.

I wrote this letter for anyone wondering if they’re grieving 'the right way.' There’s no rulebook. But there is love, presence and gentleness. I hope this meets you where you are 💚.

#grief #bereavement #griefjourney #griefsupport #therapistsky #therapistsconnect #blueskytherapists #therapists

Thanks for the share @beth-bellamy.bsky.social.

Grieving and Changing Roles: When a Parent Dies Blog post looking at grieving and changing roles after loss. It's not just the primary loss of a parent but also the secondary losses which occur.

💚💚If you're an adult when you parent dies, you may notice your role, responsibilities and relationships change. My new blog post explores this in more detail.💚💚

thegriefcounsellor.co.uk/grieving-and...

#therapistsconnect #blueskytherapists #grief #bereavement #selfcare #blogposts

We generally think about sibling grief as an experience related to the death of a brother or sister we knew. What about 'Unknown Siblings' - the siblings we never got to meet?

thegriefcounsellor.co.uk/the-unknown-...

#therapistsconnect #blueskytherapists

The death of a client can feel isolating and unacknowledged. Confidentiality means we can’t talk about our grief in the usual ways and it can be difficult to know how to process the loss.

See my blog post below 👇

thegriefcounsellor.co.uk/.../31/death...

#blueskytherapists #TherapistsConnect

The Death of a Client: The Unspoken Grief of Counsellors The death of a client can be an isolating experience. Our ethical responsibility of maintaining confidentiality can make it hard to know how to process our loss.

The Unspoken Grief of Counsellors: When a Client Dies

New blog post about processing the death of my client, disenfranchised grief and ways counsellors can honour their clients and care for themselves

thegriefcounsellor.co.uk/.../31/death...

#therapistsconnect #therapistsky #blueskytherapists

And luring in listeners is the most important thing to get your message out there. So glad it's helped lots of people and great that palliative care nurses and GPs recommend it. I certainly will.

'Dying is not as bad as you think' | BBC Ideas YouTube video by BBC Ideas

I came across this video from @drkathrynmannix.bsky.social this morning about the process of dying not being as bad as you think. Sounds flippant but it's not. I found it quite comforting. Does it bring anything up for you about dying - thinking about your own death or someone else's?

Headshot of counsellor Donna Gibson advertising that she's taking counselling bookings for February 2025 for anyone who would like to come and talk about loss either in Stowmarket or online #thegriefcounsellor

Loss can mean many things - of a person or pet, of identity, of a dream, a job, a relationship.....

If you're finding it hard at the moment and would like someone to talk to, please visit my website thegriefcounsellor.co.uk. Have a look around and if you'd like to make an appointment get in touch.