Collective Grief

Collective Grief – Grief and Bereavement Counselling

Collective Grief is something that the UK is experiencing at the moment with the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Cruse, bereavement charity describes grief in the following way.

Collective grief happens when a group of people (usually a nation, community or local area) experience the fallout from a death or multiple deaths. This might be due to war, a natural disaster, or other events that resulted in multiple or high-profile casualties.

You may feel confused about why you are feeling a sense of loss about the queen, you might not be a royalist or feel apathy or negatively towards the monarchy and be surprised by your feelings, but nonetheless feel sadness. The Queen has been at the heart of the nation for a very long time and has had some sort of presence in our lives for decades, when someone has a presence for so long it is normal that we would notice and feel their absence. A similar experience the UK had of collective grief was the sudden death of Princess Diana, and I distinctly remember her death and how the nation responded to her loss.

Cruse explains that Collective Grief takes place for the following reasons

Managing Loneliness

Feeling grief and loss around the death of the queen may, as mentioned above be because it triggers feelings about your own experiences with death and loss. A more day to day example of this is when you are watching a film or tv programme and a character dies and you experience a reaction and become upset or are emotionally affected. Your feelings may pass or they may remain. If you have been affected by the queen’s death and are experiencing ongoing distress you might want to talk to someone about how you are feeling and explore any underlying triggers. If you feel that Paul could help you please Contact him.

Online resources

Cruse – Grief for Her Majesty the Queen

Bereavement and Grief Counselling

Bereavement and Counselling

Paul Carter is a counsellor and psychotherapist with many years of experience, you can learn more about Paul here on the About Paul Page. If you would like to make an appointment with him please use the Contact Page or call on 07843 813 537. Paul works in Birmingham and Kingswinford, although currently due to COVID is working exclusively online and on the telephone. For more information about how counselling works and current fees please take a look at the FAQs page.

Bereavement and Grief Counselling