RESET Grief Counselling

02/01/2026

Maybe you have struggled through your first Christmas without a loved one, or maybe you thought the 2nd, 3rd, 4th….. would be different, easier somehow? Does the new year feel harder, as if you are leaving them behind? Perhaps friends, or even Family members don’t understand your pain?
If you are finding it difficult to navigate unresolved grief, then you may find the comfort of a support group helpful. Different bereavements, different timescales, different ages, different backgrounds, but a room full of people “who get it”.
Next week sees the first support groups for 2026. You can access any group, as soon as you need it, for as long as you need it. All groups are free, with no waiting lists or form filling.
Simply turn up on the day.

ADDINGHAM
Monday 5th 7-9pm
The Hub, above the library

SILSDEN
Tuesday 6th 10.30-12.30
The Methodist Church

KEIGHLEY (with Keighley Healthy Living)
Tuesday 6th 1-3pm
Central Hall

BURLEY-IN-WHARFEDALE
Thursday 8th 2-4pm
Grange Park Surgery

31/12/2025

New Year’s Resolutions for the Bereaved
Thank you to the Grief Toolbox

27/12/2025

For those of you who have crawled through the Christmas period.

24/12/2025

Today I said “I’m fine”, not once
But five times altogether
When people asked “how are you?”
Then made small talk of the weather

And so I hid behind my mask
The one I’d worn a while
I set in place my bravest face
And dressed it with a smile

And that was how the day went
All “I’m fine” and talk of rain
Until somebody asked me how I was
Then asked again

They asked if I was truly fine
And I said I was not
And they said they were sorry
That they couldn’t do a lot

But then they sat beside me
Whilst I spoke the truth at last
They listened and they held me
As the tears slipped through my mask

And where before, I’d felt I should
Maintain this brave façade,
I realised there was much to gain
By letting down my guard

See, though my load was still the same
It now was not as heavy
‘Cause sitting and offloading it
Had helped a bit already

Today they asked “how are you?”
And I told them I was fine
‘Til someone saw behind the mask
And asked me one more time

And though they may have felt
That there was little they could do
They’ll never know how much it meant
To tell someone the truth

*******

This time of year can mean a lot of people are saying, "I'm fine!" when the truth is that they are falling apart a little bit behind the scenes.

Becky Hemsley 2022
Artwork by the very talented Anna Fila

“I’m fine” is from my second collection: https://amzn.to/4s9oKao
(affiliate link)

20/12/2025

As we approach Christmas, I just wanted to share this post with anyone who is grieving, or who is supporting anyone who is grieving. Sending love to you, wherever you are 🕊️

A Christmas for Grieving Hearts

May we, who are still grieving,
whether it be weeks, months, or years,
be spared the pressure to be brave,
or bright,
or healed this Christmas.

May we not be expected to be cheerful
while we are still in survival mode,
or while we may still be experiencing shock or disbelief.

For us who grieve,
December can feel like a stage
we are expected to step onto,
rehearsed lines in hand,
asked to perform versions of ourselves
that no longer exist.

May we accept ourselves exactly as we are,
and may our grief be recognized and accepted
by our loved ones:
in our absence of sparkle,
in the way we leave early,
in the way our eyes wander
when a song comes on,
in the way we measure our energy
like a precious, limited resource.

Grief is not a failure to participate in seasonal celebrations;
it is evidence of a love that mattered deeply.

May we be spared the well-meaning urgencies:
be strong,
stay busy,
focus on the good.

May no one rush us
toward a finish line that does not exist.
Healing is not a holiday task,
and courage does not always look like smiling through dinner.
Sometimes it looks like staying home.
Sometimes it looks like surviving the day
without explaining ourselves.

May this Christmas make room for the invisible,
for empty chairs and altered traditions,
for the ache that sharpens when lights go up
and the world insists on joy.

May we know that missing someone
is not ingratitude for what remains;
it is the continuation of love.

And if peace comes,
may it come gently,
without expectation.

If it does not,
may we still be held,
and be given permission
to be human
in a season
that forgets how complicated love can be.

…and may the spaces they once filled be met with loving remembrance.

~ 'A Christmas for Grieving Hearts' by Spirit of a Hippie

✍️ Mary Anne Byrne

~ Art by Olamik

17/12/2025

16/12/2025

This beautiful post was sent to me by a friend.

14/12/2025

Final bereavement groups for 2025

This week we see the end of our support groups for this year. All groups will resume in 2026, week commencing the 5th of January.

Addingham
Monday 15th, 7-9pm
We are meeting in The Lord Addingham for a Christmas drink, instead of our usual venue of the Hub.

Silsden
Tuesday 16th, 10.30-12.30
Silsden Methodist Church

Keighley (with Keighley Healthy Living)
Tuesday 16th, 1-3pm
Central Hall

All groups are free to attend. You can access support as soon as you need it, for as long as you need it.
🕊️

08/12/2025

What is the best way to ease someone's pain and suffering? In this beautifully animated RSA Short, Dr Brené Brown reminds us that we can only create a genuin...

02/12/2025

This week is Grief Awareness Week, and a chance to recognise how any type of loss can affect our wellbeing.

There’s no right or wrong way to feel — grief affects everyone differently.

If you're finding things difficult, there’s support that can help.

➡️ https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/feelings-symptoms-behaviours/feelings-and-symptoms/grief-bereavement-loss/

30/11/2025

This week there are 4 groups running. They are completely free to attend, with no waiting lists and no conditions. You can access the groups as soon as you need to, for as long as you need to.
I run each group myself, using my experience as a palliative care Nurse and grief counsellor to help you manage your grief in a way that you feel comfortable with.
You do not need to book in advance, simply turn up on the day. The hardest part is walking through the door, but once you do, you’ll be met with a warm welcome from people who completely understand.

Addingham
Monday 7-9pm
The Hub

Silsden
Tuesday 10.30-12.30
The Methodist Church

Keighley (with Keighley Healthy Living)
Tuesday 1-3pm
Central Hall

Otley (with the Sarah Jackson Community wish)
Friday 11-1
Beech Hill Church Hall

27/11/2025

I have been nominated for the Discover Ilkley community award. If anyone would like to vote for me I would be very grateful.
Thank you

The closing date for the BIG Christmas Giveback Competition, which celebrates local heroes across the country is TOMORROW (Friday 28th November). Locally, there have already been nominations for Clarke Foley Community Hub, Dan's Den at Christchurch, LS29 Special Needs Support Group, Ilkley & District Good Neighbours, Christchurch Cafe Ilkley and RESET Grief Counselling, as well as individuals.

This national competition highlights outstanding community members and organisations, and is run by Miconex, the company behind our Ilkley Gift Card. If an Ilkley nominee receives the most votes, a £1,000 Ilkley Gift Card will be awarded directly to that deserving person or organisation, and the person who nominated them will also win £500 to spend in our local businesses! 🥳

Please keep your nominations coming at www.lovelocalwin.co.uk before 28th November 2025.