Life After Loss grief support when anxiety is part of the story
Grief does not arrive as one feeling. It can come with shock, numbness, anger, anxiety and a sense that life has stopped moving.
Grief does not arrive as one feeling. It can come with shock, numbness, anger, anxiety and a sense that life has stopped moving.
Life After Loss is our STILL Method grief programme for teenagers and adults who are living with loss, especially where fear and anxiety are tangled into the experience.
The loss might be recent or many years ago. It might be a death, the end of a relationship, a serious diagnosis, the loss of health or another change that quietly split life into a before and after.
This page is your starting point if you are looking for grief support that understands your nervous system as well as your thoughts.
How the STILL Method supports grief
The STILL Method is an anxiety framework that also speaks clearly to grief, because both are rooted in the way our nervous system responds to threat and loss. Life After Loss is the way we bring this framework to teenagers and adults who are living with bereavement.
Many people come to Life After Loss saying
• I do not know if this is grief or anxiety
• I feel too much, then absolutely nothing
• I do not recognise myself any more
You might notice
• a constant feeling that something terrible is about to happen
• replaying conversations and moments around the loss, wondering what you could have done differently
• a tight chest, sick stomach or restless body even when you are exhausted
• snapping at small things, then feeling guilty and ashamed
• avoiding people or drowning yourself in busyness so you do not have to feel
For teenagers and young adults this can look like
• refusing school or suddenly dropping clubs and activities
• becoming louder, riskier or more argumentative than usual
• being very sensible and helpful while falling apart in private
None of this means you are doing grief wrong. It is how a human nervous system tries to survive something that feels unbearable. Life After Loss begins by treating these reactions as understandable, not as faults.
What Life After Loss grief coaching actually offers
Life After Loss is not just a space to talk, although talking can be part of it. It is a structured STILL Method programme that brings together
• gentle education about grief, trauma and the nervous system
• tools for managing big emotions like sorrow, anger, guilt and fear in the moment
• ways to begin processing the story of what happened at a pace that feels safe
• space to explore questions about meaning, identity and the future
• support in rediscovering small pockets of joy and connection without feeling disloyal
The work is shaped as a clear pathway that can be used
• one to one with a young person or adult
• in small Life After Loss groups
• in community and school settings where more than one person is affected
You do not have to follow a rigid timetable. Some people move step by step. Others stay with a particular part of the work for longer. Your route is shaped around your needs and capacity.
How the STILL Method sits underneath Life After Loss
The STILL Method is an anxiety framework, and grief sits very close to anxiety in the body. Both are rooted in how our nervous system responds to threat, separation and change.
Life After Loss uses the five pillars of STILL to support people through grief
• Stop simple ways to steady breathing and body when waves of panic, guilt or overwhelm hit, so you can return to yourself without forcing feelings away
• Talk honest conversations about what has happened, what you fear and what you miss, without pressure to be brave or to have the right words
• Imagine gentle work around what life might look like alongside grief so the future is not only a blank space or a threat
• Listen noticing what your body is telling you about safety, closeness, distance and risk, instead of labelling reactions as over the top
• Learn looking at patterns that are helping and patterns that are hurting and practising new ways of coping that fit you and your story
The aim is not to remove grief or pretend everything is fine. It is to help you live with loss in a way that feels more truthful, less frightening and kinder to your body and mind.
Grief support for teenagers and young adults
Young people often grieve in ways that adults do not recognise. They may laugh at the wrong moment, refuse to talk, act out, or seem as if nothing has touched them at all. Underneath, many are terrified that more loss is coming or that their feelings will swallow them if they stop.
Life After Loss for young people focuses on
• giving them a language for what they feel in their body as well as in their mind
• normalising anxiety symptoms like racing heart, sick stomach or feeling unreal
• using creative tools, stories and simple activities so they are not trapped in a heavy conversation every week
• supporting parents, carers and schools to understand what grief driven behaviour can look like
The goal is not to push them back to some idea of normal. It is to help them feel a little safer, less alone and more able to ask for what they need.
Life After Loss for adults
As an adult, you may be the one keeping everything going at home, at work or both. Other people may tell you that you are strong, practical or coping well, while inside you feel numb, restless or constantly close to tears.
Life After Loss for adults offers a space where
• you do not have to protect others from your feelings
• it is acceptable to bring anger, relief, confusion and regret, not just sadness
• you can look at how grief has changed your sense of safety, identity and relationships
• you can explore what living with this loss might mean without feeling you are betraying the person or life you have lost
Some adults prefer one to one work. Others find a small Life After Loss group helpful, so they can see that they are not the only one whose grief looks like anxiety, shutdown or chaos. The shape of the work can be tailored around you.
What happens when you reach out
Reaching out about grief can feel exposing. You may worry you will fall apart, or that you will be told it is time to move on. We are careful with that.
One You send an enquiry or book a short call
You can use the contact form, book a call with Stuart the programs creator, or contact a STILL Method coach through our directory. You can say as little or as much as you like in that first step.
Two You share what feels safe
You choose what you want to tell us about the loss, your current situation and how grief is affecting you or your family. We will ask a few gentle questions to understand what you need and what capacity you have.
Three We suggest possible routes
Together we look at options such as one to one Life After Loss sessions, a small group, or work with a school or family. If we feel a different service would be more appropriate, we will say so clearly and, where possible, signpost you on.
Four You choose your next step
There is no pressure to decide quickly. You can take time, talk things through with others and come back to us when you are ready.
We do not offer crisis or emergency services. If you are in immediate danger, or feel unable to keep yourself safe, please contact local emergency services or an appropriate crisis support line first, then return to us when things are calmer.
Frequently asked questions about grief Coaching
Is Life After Loss counselling or therapy
No. Life After Loss uses the STILL Method, which is a structured coaching and education approach. Some of our coaches are also therapists, but others are trained specifically in STILL. Life After Loss can sit alongside counselling or therapy and we are happy to fit around existing support.
Can you work alongside existing bereavement services
Yes. Many people come to Life After Loss after an initial block of bereavement counselling or while they are on a waiting list. Our focus on anxiety, nervous system responses and practical tools often complements more traditional talking work.
Do I have to talk about the loss in detail
No. You will never be pushed to share more than you want. Some people find it helpful to talk through events. Others prefer to focus on how they are coping now. Both are valid and we will follow your lead.
Do you support sudden, traumatic or complex losses
Yes, although the pace and shape of the work may look different. Where there has been trauma, we are particularly careful with safety and may recommend a joint plan with other professionals.
How much does Life After Loss support cost
Fees vary depending on the coach, location and type of support. We are transparent about costs before you commit, and in some situations schools, charities or our Community Interest Company may fund places or contribute.