Finding Gentle Support Through Grief
If you’re facing Christmas while grieving, you already know the truth that others might not understand: the festive season can be one of the hardest times of the year.
The carols that once brought joy now bring tears. The decorations feel like a painful reminder of who’s missing. The expectation to be merry feels impossible when your heart is breaking.
You’re not alone in feeling this way. And you don’t have to pretend to be okay.
The First Christmas Is Often The Hardest
After 35 years as an NHS nurse and midwife, and now as a certified hypnotherapist specializing in grief and loss, I’ve walked alongside countless people through their darkest moments. I’ve learned that the first Christmas without someone you love can feel almost unbearable.
The empty chair at the dinner table. The stocking that won’t be hung. The traditions that feel impossible to continue or abandon. Every familiar ritual becomes a reminder of absence.
But here’s what I’ve also learned: grief doesn’t mean you must face the season entirely without support, comfort, or even moments of peace.
Introducing: The Advent Calendar – A Widow’s Gift
This year, I’ve created something special for anyone navigating grief during the Christmas season: a 24-day audio journey designed to hold you gently through Advent.
Inspired by the story of a widow who left her husband an advent calendar as a final gift—each door containing a small task to help him find his way back to living—this series offers daily meditations and hypnotherapy sessions specifically created for the grieving heart.
What Makes This Different
Unlike generic meditation apps or well-meaning advice to “stay positive,” these audio sessions:
✨ Acknowledge your pain – No pressure to “get over it” or “move on”
✨ Honor your loved one – Space to remember and cherish without judgment
✨ Offer gentle guidance – Using proven hypnotherapy and RTT techniques
✨ Meet you where you are – Whether you’re newly bereaved or years into your journey
✨ Provide daily support – Short, manageable sessions throughout Advent
Day 1: Morning Meditation for the Grieving Heart
The series begins with a 10-minute “Morning Meditation for the Grieving Heart”—a gentle way to start your day when everything feels overwhelming. This isn’t about pushing away your grief. It’s about learning to breathe alongside it.
Each subsequent day brings a new meditation, each one carefully crafted to support you through different aspects of grief: the memories, the firsts, the difficult family gatherings, the quiet moments alone, and the unexpected waves of emotion.
Why Audio Support Works
As a hypnotherapist, I’ve witnessed the profound power of guided audio work, especially for those experiencing grief. Here’s why it’s so effective:
It’s private – You can access support without having to explain yourself to anyone
It’s flexible – Listen when you need it, pause when you need space
It reaches deeper – Hypnotherapy accesses the subconscious where grief often resides
It’s repeatable – Return to sessions as often as you need
It’s gentle – No forced positivity or unrealistic expectations
You Don’t Have to Face This Season Alone
Whether this is your first Christmas without someone or your fifth, whether you lost a spouse, parent, child, or dear friend—this audio series was created with you in mind.
I created these sessions drawing on:
- My decades of experience in healthcare, supporting families through loss
- My specialized training in grief and PTSD therapy
- My own understanding that grief is not something to “fix” but something to honor
- My belief that even in the darkest times, gentle support can make a difference
How to Use The Advent Calendar Audio Series
Start December 1st – Follow along with the calendar through Christmas
Complete Advent Calendar from Day 1 to Day 24 can be found here.
https://www.facebook.com/GwensHighlandsTherapy
THE ADVENT CALENDAR (the book that inspired this) is available on Amazon:
Beyond the Audio Series
If you find these sessions helpful and want more personalized support, I offer:
- Face-to-face sessions in Thurso every Thursday – A safe space to process your grief
- Virtual Zoom sessions – Support from anywhere in the world
- Specialized grief and loss therapy – Using RTT and hypnotherapy techniques
- PTSD and trauma support – For complicated or traumatic grief
I also have additional resources in my Emotional Enquiry Series, including my book specifically on grief and loss.
A Personal Note
I know what it’s like to sit with someone in the depth of their pain. I’ve held hands through unimaginable loss, witnessed the raw power of grief, and also seen the incredible resilience of the human spirit.
If you’re reading this while grieving, please know: your grief is valid, your pain matters, and you deserve support that honors both your loss and your need to keep living.
This Christmas season may be hard. But you don’t have to face it entirely alone.
Get Started Today
The Advent Calendar Audio Series is available now. Whether you use it alongside therapy, as your primary support, or simply as a gentle companion through a difficult season, I hope it brings you moments of peace.
Because you deserve comfort. Your grief deserves to be honored. And your loved one’s memory deserves to live on—not in suffering, but in the love that remains.
Ready to begin your journey?
📧 Email me: [email protected]
📱 Book a session: https://tidycal.com/gwendilinegould/30-minute-meeting
🌐 Learn more about my grief support services: GwenGouldTherapy.com
With compassion and understanding,
Gwen Gould
Certified Hypnotherapist & RTT Practitioner
Specialist in Grief, Loss & Emotional Healing
Additional Resources:
📖 Emotional Enquiry Series: Grief and Loss – My comprehensive guide available on Amazon
🎙️ Living with PTSD Podcast – Episodes on grief, loss, and healing
💙 Thurso Thursday Therapy Sessions – Face-to-face support in the Scottish Highlands
If you or someone you know is struggling with grief during the holidays, please share this resource. Sometimes the kindest thing we can do is let someone know they’re not alone.
Disclaimer: While this audio series provides emotional support and uses therapeutic techniques, it is not a substitute for professional mental health care. If you’re experiencing severe depression, suicidal thoughts, or mental health crisis, please contact your GP, call Samaritans on 116 123, or visit A&E.