Coping with Grief After a Sudden Death with Julia Samuel

When a loved one is ripped from us with little or no time to prepare, dealing with the aftermath can be unimaginably hard. With no warning, no time to say the things we could have and surrounded by the echoes of a shared life at every turn, moving forward can feel impossible. Such traumatic loss can change a person’s whole perspective of the world.

Join us to hear Julia’s invaluable insight and wisdom, which we hope will prove helpful for anyone who has ever found themselves suddenly bereaved.

Julia Samuel MBE is a paediatric counsellor and one of the UK’s leading psychotherapists. She was awarded an MBE in 2015 for her services to bereaved children. Julia is Founder Patron of Child Bereavement UK and is a Vice President of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. Julia has authored three bestselling books, Grief Works, This Too Shall Pass and Every Family Has a Story.

[malmachh]

My husband woke me at 3:00 am to say that he couldn't breathe, and by 3:09 am, he had died of COVID-19. I was barely awake, thrust into an emergency, tried CPR, and failed. It's been 249 days since we smiled at each other. My life since has gained a heart attack, a stroke, sleeplessness, and much more at the age of 55. Left with a closed-down existence.

[stephaniepaints]

It's been about ten months since I lost my partner/boyfriend of 11 years, suddenly to an aneurysm. Of all the videos I've watched on grief, I have to say this one really brought me healing on a day I've been so sad and hopeless. I felt very seen listening to this for an hour. I've been feeling so alone, and a lot of times I think many people who go through this don't get the right support or have their grief witnessed even by those closest to them, so they live with it privately and in pain. Online resources like this have been critical for me ❤ So thank you 🙏

[icymmd]

My daughter passed suddenly at 25. It’s been 8 weeks. I’m just trying to cope and help my other kids through this. It’s awful. I’m barely getting through it & I’m having to navigate mine & my kids grief.

[mariadefatima]

I know how u feel my husband of 45 years died a couple of month ago today is his birthday has been hard first I was mad at him for leaving me little by little I'm accepting what happen even if is still very hard and lonely

[rachelwesterman]

I don't know if my partners death is sudden or not. He was ill with heart problems for a long time and he was in hospital awaiting an operation. On the Friday things seemed to be going well, by Sunday a blood clot travelled to his bowel, on the Wednesday they told me nothing could be done and by Friday he was dead. He was on such strong painkillers that there was no time to say goodbye. I know that was better for him but I wish we had been able to have those conversations. I hope he knew how much I loved him.

[wambuialice]

Oh God, I never knew I could survive my kid brother's suicide. The pain is still sometimes unbearable but people like you are helping in ways you will never know

[patriciawagstaff]

I also have episodes of anger that he left me with all of the paperwork etc. and just everything. I have times when I am upset n downright angry with God. "Why did you do this to me and I hate you"
So afterwards I am ashamed of myself but other days I am still angry with God n everyone else.
It has been 2yrs today and I just can't move on.
10-13-2021.

[hazelcarterauthor]

I learned so much from this - even though my own bereavement was due to motor neurone disease killing my husband. Not sudden, but very difficult to witness. The statement about the level of loss being equal to the level of love really hit me, and explains why I feel the way I do 4.5 years after my lovely husbands death. Thank you.

[crazydrummerofdoom]

Lost my mom suddenly in her late 50s its brought on anxiety and TMS in my body so on top of greife i deal with dizziness, fatigue, brain fog for going on 21 months now its like im being punished on top of losing my mom.

[alejandroalejandro]

This is my life . My Partner of almost 23 yrs died all of a sudden . He was a type
2 diabetic. He was also a recovering alcoholic . He had been doing so well in outpatient. He was cut by a
Rusty nail. He took it out and we thought, Ok. All good! The following day his foot was in pain . His breathing was becoming more shallow . When
The paramedics got here
They took his blood
Sugar . It was 400 .. They tried calling me in the middle of the night . I was a sleep . I called them
Back when I woke up. Instead of they telling me ok . Travis is ready to be
Picked up.. the tone was
More like .. Hello,
My name is “ Dr. So and so “ we have been trying to get of hold of you, unfortunately Travis went into cardiac arrest .. “I’m sorry we’ve done
Everything we can” my heart sunk ..

[NotYoung]

I just found out a former close friend died unexpectedly, and I am angry with myself for not reaching out to try to resolve the long ago issue we had. No closure, no chance for resolution, all gone completely. And I am angry, at myself. And of course greatly shocked and saddened by the loss. I hate never knowing what good or bad, would have emerged from a hey after all these years. At least I would have known the final outcome, and this sudden death was not it.

[sweetyogajustine]

It would of been really helpful to hear this 32 years ago when my Dad died suddenly through elective death.

[savefuneralcosts]

A good quality, comprehensive film helping those dealing with grief/trauma.

[glorystar]

Love the Poem-
This is not whom I was before my 18 daughter died suddenly!
I’m just trying to make sense and becoming this new person!
How to maneuver now since my only daughter well child for 16 years. She was my world 🌎 literally 😢

[patriciamolloy]

Extremely powerful and helpful .thank you

[wizardofahhhs]

My wife of 27 years died suddenly at the age of 42, she was someplace she had no business being. Going through her phone I found out whatever she was doing she had been doing for about a month before she passed. So many questions left unanswered.

[poloburr]

In the fall of 2022, My lil lady felt ill, We did the hospital trips, Followed up, Followed doctors advice, Followed up. On the morning of December 13th, 2022, While I was getting dressed for work, I discovered My lil lady, Unalive in my bed. I’ve faced hard times before, However nothing like this.

[AngelicAnalicia]

My common law husband was murdered in front of me. His mother blames me and this funeral. Has definitely divided many.

[caroledrury]

I was living in Vermont and still am where my partner and I built our own house together. One day law officers came to my door and told me Joe was dead. I collapsed. They picked me up and brought me in to my house, our house. The shock was so severe I didn’t even feel alive more like floating. Joe had also been the main source of income so there was the extra blow of eventually how was I to survive on my own.

[krismills]

I have just lost my husband suddenly. It's just been 5days and my emotions are on a roller coaster. I feel like I'm falling down a hole.