Process your grief through creativity and intuitive guidance so you can live more fully.

I gently guide and empower fellow grievers to create meaning after loss, find healthy ways to express their grief, and live a more fulfilling life.

Why I offer one to one support:

Having just one person I could openly talk to in the depths of my grief would’ve made a world of difference when I was a young grieving woman.

Losing my Mum at 20 years old was the most isolating experience I’ve lived through. I didn’t have friends that could relate and I searched, but couldn’t find the support I was looking for.

Being 15 years along, and experiencing many other kinds of losses throughout the years, I’ve learned a lot about love, grief and loss. I’ve trialled countless ways to deal with my grief. I’ve been through the phases of numbness, despair, and eventually living a full and meaningful life with grief.

Being able to talk to someone who was further along in their grief journey would’ve given me that sliver of hope and insight that I needed as I navigated all the unknowns.

A little about me:

I’m a writer, singer, creative grief guide and founder of The Grief Cocoon. My work is inspired by my beloved mother, Samira, who I lost to cancer at the age of twenty.

Grieving as a young person was a very isolating experience and it took a long time to learn to live alongside it in a way that wasn't debilitating. After years of feeling lost and sad, I eventually started sharing my experiences through poetry and music, and then through community events where people could come together and have open conversations about grief.

Since then, I’ve researched the impact of creativity on grief and loss through my Masters. completed Grief Movement Training, and studied Narrative Therapy. All of this, combined with my professional and lived experience, means I can support people through grief in a myriad of ways.

People say I have a calming presence and a soothing voice. I pride myself on being fully present with whoever I work with and, as you may know, being seen and validated in grief is how the healing happens.

Creative Grief Guidance is for you if:

  • You feel like you’ve been stuck in the same thoughts, feelings, and loops. You haven’t found a way to move through them yet.

  • Loss has prompted a deeper questioning of your beliefs, purpose, and contribution to the world.

    You want a space to explore what that could be and how it look in your life.

    You want support and guidance through this process.

  • You’ve either tried traditional therapeutic approaches or don’t find them appealing. In and between sessions with me, you’ll find a safe space to explore new and creative approaches to creatively process, express, and transmute your grief.

  • You want to develop your self-connection, move through grief in an embodied way, and experience the relief and newfound energy that can come from this.

  • You’re struggling to find meaning in your life and you’re unsure where to begin. I’ll gently guide and prompt you through creating meaning after loss.

  • You don’t need to leave your grief and loss behind behind as you continue living. Together, we’ll find meaningful ways for you to live whilst honouring who/what you’re grieving.

  • You’re sick of feeling how you feel, thinking how you think, or doing what you’re doing. You’re ready to receive support to move you through this transitional period, so that you can thrive.

My philosophy:

I believe that YOU are the expert on your grief and that my role is to support you to connect more with yourself, so that you can hear your inner voice better and feel more empowered.

The process of 1:1 work is a collaboration and a co-designed process where I check in with you each step of the way to ensure that we’re heading in the right direction and that you’re getting the most out of your time with me. I’m always both a guide and a student as I continuously learn more about grief, all its nuances, and the ways that people cope with life’s challenges.

There is no right or wrong way to grieve, but there are healthy and unhealthy coping mechanisms that we can learn and unlearn. My intention in supporting you is to bring all of my lived experience, knowledge, and professional experience to each session to meet you where you’re at and offer what’s needed in the moment.

My focus is to be fully present, to listen and understand your needs before responding. As a guide, I’m there to acknowledge and validate you as you come and to be a non-judgemental figure in your life.

All tools I offer are invitational and require your full consent.

FAQs

  • No, your grief doesn’t have to stem from the loss of a person. There are many non-death related losses that you may be grieving. For example, it can relate to the loss of a relationship, the environment, or even the loss of your own identity.

    I have lived experience of many non-death related losses and can work with you through whatever grief you show up with. No judgement here.

  • No. While there may be overlaps between counselling and grief guidance, they each have their own distinct focus.

    Counselling/therapy is primarily focused on understanding and resolving past experiences, whereas guidance is focused on what you’re struggling with now (present) and who/where you’d like to be (future).

    In moving towards where you want to be, it may be necessary at times to process past experienced, however we’ll always return to the present and future.

  • Each session generally lasts for one hour.

  • While I’d encourage you to book more than one so you can get the most out of working with me, I do offer once-off sessions.

    In these sessions, I’ll help you gain greater self-awareness and clarity on what you’re experiencing, and offer as much insight as I can to help you take the next steps.

  • Sessions can occur anywhere from weekly, to fortnightly, or monthly. Their frequency can be tailored to your needs.

“Grief is not a disorder, a disease or a sign of weakness. It is an emotional, physical and spiritual necessity, the price you pay for love. The only cure for grief is to grieve.”

— Earl Grollman

Testimonials

  • "I feel lighter, like I am not carrying the grief so close to my body. Writing it puts it outside of me. I become an observer. Writing gives me a story and that gives me agency. Agency gives me hope. Hope in the present gives me power in the future."

    Louise, Writing Through Climate Grief Participant

  • "It made me feel good about myself and gave me a new perspective on how to process my grief"

    Kim, Writing with Grief Participant

  • "It gave me a different perspective and approach to my emotions. I felt I had more agency and strength to begin processing, even though it felt challenging and sometimes uncomfortable."

    Clair, Writing with Grief Participant

  • “I felt hopeful after the workshop. Walking with my grief had me feeling alone, but this workshop has given me tools to start writing again.”

    David, Writing Through Grief Participant

  • “It was a lovely mix of sharing, listening and supporting, reminding me of the important role ritual and art has in the grieving process.”

    Karen, The Grief Cocoon Open Mic Participant

  • "Thank you so much for all of the effort you put in to developing and presenting the workshops. I feel you were the perfect person to offer the writing activities for such a sensitive topic. You were so calm, a great listener, and very caring."

    Simone, EAP Project Manager