Our Bereavement Support

After the Funeral

Grief is our natural response to loss in our lives. There is no right or wrong way to grieve and people experience the grieving process differently.

When a loved-one dies, family and friends can find it difficult to cope with the tremendous grief they experience, and can be unprepared for important decisions and arrangements that need to be made.

Geoffrey T Sowman Funeral Directors understand the needs of families and friends going through the stress of bereavement. After the funeral they offer a free book, ‘Now What?’ , a guide for people living with the death of someone close, written by highly regarded Grief Counsellor, Lois Tonkin.

Bereavement Support

At Geoffrey T Sowman we are committed to providing ongoing care and support to our bereaved families. 
Grieving takes time. We recognise this and offer you, or immediate family members, a complimentary 
support service with our After Care Support.

We understand the challenges that grieving can bring. Grief is a normal response to loss, and while there are many common responses to loss, each of us will have our own unique experience of this. We offer support, reassurance and education. We can also put people in touch with any other services should longer term support be required.

Bereavement support does not replace family and friends but rather complements them as part of a full support system.

Who can use this service?

Any person who has experienced a bereavement can use this support service. We will contact you a few weeks after the funeral to see how you are coping, however if you wish to speak 
with us before this, please feel free to do so.

Ways to help yourself through grief:

• Exercise regularly – choose an activity you enjoy.
• Maintain a balanced diet and take supplements if you need to.
• Structure your time. Keep routines as normal as possible (especially where children are concerned) – prepare a list of things to do.
• Spend time with others and also allow yourself some time out.
• Do things that make you feel good.
• Talk to people. Express your emotions clearly and honestly to those you trust.
• Write down some of your thoughts or feelings.
• Limit your use of drugs or alcohol.
• Keep important decisions for a later time. Your judgement may, for the moment, be impaired. Take your time.
• Ask for help when you need it.
• Above all, be GENTLE with yourself!