Grief & Bereavement Counselling Dublin 9
Grief is one of the most difficult experiences we can face. Losing someone or something important can affect every part of our lives, changing how we think, feel, relate to others and understand the world around us.
Whether you are grieving the death of someone close to you, navigating the end of a relationship or adjusting to a major life change, grief can be complicated and deeply personal. At D9 Therapy & Wellness in Santry, Dublin 9, we offer counselling and psychotherapy to help people explore their experiences of loss in a supportive and understanding space.
What Is Grief?
Grief is a natural emotional response to losing someone or something that matters to us. It is often associated with bereavement, but grief can arise from many different experiences of loss.
It can affect our emotions, thoughts, physical wellbeing, relationships and everyday routines. Some people experience intense sadness, while others may feel numb, angry, anxious, confused or disconnected. There is no single way to grieve.
Grief can also change over time. It may come in waves, sometimes feeling manageable and at other times becoming unexpectedly overwhelming. Anniversaries, familiar places, memories and everyday reminders can all bring difficult feelings back to the surface.
Different Types of Grief and Loss
Grief is not limited to the death of a loved one. We can experience a sense of loss whenever something important in our lives changes, ends or becomes unavailable to us.
Bereavement
Losing a parent, partner, child, friend or another important person can have a profound impact. Adjusting to life without someone who has been part of our world can bring a wide range of emotions and challenges.
Relationship Breakdown and Separation
The end of a relationship, marriage or friendship can involve grieving not only the person, but also the shared routines, plans and future you once imagined together.
Pregnancy and Fertility Loss
Miscarriage, pregnancy loss and difficulties with fertility can involve deeply personal experiences of grief. These losses may be particularly difficult when others do not fully understand their emotional impact.
Family Estrangement and Complicated Relationships
Losing contact with a family member, experiencing estrangement or having a relationship change significantly can bring feelings of sadness, anger, guilt and uncertainty. Sometimes we grieve relationships that are still present but no longer what they once were.
Life Changes and Loss of Identity
Changes in health, independence, employment, family roles or personal circumstances can affect our sense of identity and stability. Even changes that are expected or chosen can involve a sense of loss.
Why Does Grief Feel So Difficult?
Grief can affect much more than our mood. It can influence concentration, sleep, motivation, appetite, relationships and our ability to manage everyday responsibilities.
Some people find themselves withdrawing from others, while others feel a strong need to stay busy or keep everything together. It is also possible to experience conflicting emotions, such as sadness alongside relief, anger alongside love, or moments of happiness alongside a deep sense of loss.
There can also be pressure to return to normal, move forward or appear okay for the sake of other people. This can make it harder to acknowledge what we are experiencing.
Grief is not a straightforward process, and there is no universal timetable for adjusting to loss.
How Can Grief Counselling Help?
Grief counselling provides an opportunity to talk openly about your experience of loss in a confidential and supportive environment. It is not about forgetting someone, minimising what happened or being told that it is time to move on.
Instead, therapy can help you make sense of difficult emotions, understand how the loss has affected your life and explore ways of living with what has changed.
Depending on your individual needs, counselling may help you:
- Express feelings that have been difficult to share with others.
- Explore sadness, anger, guilt, anxiety or unresolved emotions.
- Adjust to changes in your relationships, routines and identity.
- Understand how grief is affecting your everyday life.
- Explore complicated or conflicting feelings surrounding a loss.
- Reconnect with supportive relationships and sources of meaning.
- Develop ways of coping with difficult days, memories and reminders.
- Find a way forward that acknowledges the significance of what you have lost.
Everyone's experience is different. Your therapist will work with you at a pace that feels manageable, without expecting you to process everything at once.
Do I Need Counselling If I Am Grieving?
Not everyone who experiences grief needs professional support, and there is no right or wrong time to seek counselling. Some people find comfort through family, friends and their existing support networks. Others may find that their grief feels difficult to manage alone, or that they need a space where they can speak openly without worrying about upsetting the people around them.
You might consider counselling if you feel overwhelmed, disconnected, stuck or unable to make sense of what has happened. You may also simply want somewhere to talk about the person or experience you have lost.
You do not need to wait until things become unbearable before reaching out for support.
Meet Our Grief and Bereavement Counsellors in Dublin 9
At D9 Therapy & Wellness in Santry, our team includes counsellors and psychotherapists who work with grief, bereavement and different experiences of loss. Each therapist brings their own training, experience and therapeutic approach. You can explore their individual profiles below to find out more.
Bronagh Stewart
Bronagh works with adults experiencing bereavement, grief and loss, alongside family conflict, estrangement, relationship difficulties and life transitions.
Her integrative approach draws on Humanistic Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), adapting the work to each person's individual needs.
Joel Whitman
Joel is a trainee psychotherapist offering low-cost counselling for adults aged 18 and over. He supports people experiencing grief, loss and bereavement, as well as anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties and life changes.
His approach draws on Person-Centred, Humanistic and Existential perspectives, alongside mindfulness and body-based approaches.
Sinéad Finnerty (Sinéad Ní Fhionnachta)
Sinéad is a Systemic Family Psychotherapist who works with individuals, couples, young people and families. She supports people experiencing bereavement, feelings associated with loss, family changes and relationship difficulties.
Her systemic approach considers how relationships, family experiences and wider circumstances can shape the way we experience and respond to loss.
Patrick O'Hanlon
Patrick works with adults experiencing grief and bereavement, alongside anxiety, low mood, workplace stress and significant life changes.
He recognises that grief can follow the death of someone close, but can also arise through the loss of a relationship, role, career, health or hoped-for future. His approach is warm, Humanistic and Person-Centred.
Virginia Pop
Virginia supports adults experiencing grief, loss, relationship difficulties, trauma and significant life changes. Her work includes support around bereavement, miscarriage, infertility and changes in family life or identity.
She takes a collaborative and integrative approach, creating space to explore difficult emotions and develop healthier ways of coping. Counselling is available in English and Romanian.
Dave Lynam
Dave is a Pre-Accredited Counsellor who works with adults experiencing bereavement and grief, addiction and recovery, anxiety, difficult emotions and relationship challenges.
His Humanistic and Integrative approach aims to offer a safe, welcoming and non-judgemental space to explore experiences that may feel difficult to face alone.
Noelle Shebani
Noelle supports people experiencing grief alongside trauma, anxiety, stress, low mood and difficult life changes. She works with adults aged 16 and over.
Her approach draws on Humanistic, Psychodynamic, Trauma-Informed, CBT and Gestalt perspectives. She offers a supportive space to explore difficult experiences at your own pace.
Sophie Smyth
Sophie works with adults experiencing grief and bereavement, alongside trauma, depression, anxiety, relationship difficulties and significant life changes.
She uses a range of approaches, including CBT, Existential Therapy, Person-Centred Therapy and Integrative Psychotherapy, tailoring the work to each person's experiences and needs.
Ciaran Doherty
Ciaran supports adults experiencing grief and loss, alongside anxiety, relationship difficulties, addiction and other personal challenges.
His Humanistic and Integrative approach offers a non-judgemental space to explore difficult experiences, process earlier life events and develop greater self-understanding.
Gráinne McGlade
Gráinne works with adults experiencing grief and loss, trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship challenges and family difficulties.
Her integrative approach draws on Psychodynamic, Gestalt, Somatic and Humanistic perspectives, with an emphasis on creating a warm, collaborative and non-judgemental therapeutic space.
Stephen Moynihan
Stephen is an accredited IACP counsellor and psychotherapist who works with adults experiencing grief and loss, anxiety, depression, stress and relationship or family difficulties.
He works in a Person-Centred way and incorporates aspects of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Solution-Focused approaches where helpful.
Finding Support That Feels Right for You
Choosing a therapist is a personal decision. You may prefer someone with experience in a particular area of loss, or you may simply want to find someone whose approach and personality feel comfortable for you.
You do not need to know exactly what you want to discuss before your first session. It is okay to begin by talking about what has happened, how you have been feeling or what has become difficult recently.
The most important thing is having a space where you feel listened to, respected and able to explore your experience without judgement.
You Don't Have to Navigate Grief Alone
If you are looking for grief or bereavement counselling in Dublin 9, D9 Therapy & Wellness is here to help you explore the support available.
Get in touch to enquire about our therapists and find an approach that feels right for you.
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