I want to share a little of my story, so you know who is holding this space with you. My first experience of grief was losing my grandmother. I wasn’t allowed to go to her funeral, and I didn’t receive the support I needed to understand or express what I was feeling. Then came the loss that changed my life forever. My firstborn son, Adam, died aged four after a three-year journey with cancer. There are no words that can fully describe losing your child. The longing to hold them again. The life you imagined together. The love that is still there, with nowhere familiar to go. Shortly afterwards, my dad died suddenly from a fatal heart attack. Around 18 months later, I lost my mum after a long illness involving kidney problems. So much loss, with so little space to take in what had happened. I went on to have my son Nathan, but sadly experienced a miscarriage when I became pregnant again after him. Later, I had Daniel. My two rainbow babies brought love and joy into my life, while the love and grief for those I had lost remained. For many years, I suppressed so much of that grief. I carried on with life, looking after everyone and doing what needed to be done. But carrying on wasn’t the same as feeling fully alive. Discovering energy healing became a huge turning point for me. In my own experience, it helped me make space for feelings I had carried for years and begin to embrace life on a completely different level. It didn’t erase my losses. It helped me find a way to live with them with more peace, love and possibility. And something happened that I hadn’t expected: I began to feel more connected to my loved ones. More connected, in fact, than when I used to spend hours at the grave. I know that desperate wish to have them physically beside you again. To hear their voice, feel their arms around you or have one more ordinary day together. That physical absence matters deeply. For me, there has also been comfort in discovering that my relationship with them can continue in a different way — through memories, love, quiet moments and my spiritual sense of their presence.

I’m so pleased you’ve found your way here, although I know you may wish you had never needed a space like this. This is a community for women living with grief and loss. Somewhere you can take a breath, put down the brave face and be welcomed exactly as you are. Perhaps someone you love has died. Perhaps you have experienced pregnancy loss, the loss of a much-loved pet, a relationship ending, or changes that have left you grieving the life you thought you would have. Your loss matters. You don’t have to compare it with anyone else’s or explain why it still hurts. Here, you are witnessed, not fixed. Your grief is honoured, not judged. There is room for tears, memories, anger, questions and quiet days. There is also room for laughter, hope and those first little moments of sunshine, whenever they come. Through our journey together, we’ll explore caring for ourselves, expressing what we need, navigating relationships and gently finding our way back into life. For those grieving someone who has died, we’ll also explore ways to honour their memory and nurture that continuing connection. My own spiritual belief is that our loved ones remain in our hearts forever, and our soul bond can never be broken. You are welcome here whatever your beliefs. You don’t have to share your story before you feel ready. Reading quietly is a way of being part of this circle too. When you feel comfortable, I’d love you to introduce yourself. You could simply share your first name and one thing you would appreciate from being here. There is no need to explain your loss unless you want to. Thank you for reaching out for support. My hope is that, little by little, this becomes somewhere you feel less alone. Much love, Jude 💛