
Creative grief work
Creative grief work
Creative grief work is a form of grief counseling. Here you can be what you feel right now. You don’t have to push it aside, nor do you have to deal with it specifically if you don’t want to.
In modern Western societies, very few of us have learned to understand grief as a part of life and how to deal with it. At the same time, there is little room for it in our daily lives. Yet, in the vast majority of cases, it is helpful to express painful emotions. This does not necessarily require many words. The most important thing is to find ways that feel good to you. Creativity can be one such way.
Grief can be scary and overwhelming. It can feel like a part of ourselves has died. It is important to know that there is no “right” or “wrong” way to grieve. Everyone grieves differently. It is a normal reaction to a loss. And as stressful and painful as grief can be, pushing it away completely is rarely good for the long term. What has been lost or is being mourned does not have to be banished from life or “let go”. Rather, it is about giving it a new place in your life.
For whom?
Grief can have many causes. Sometimes it is the contact with the dying and death of a loved one, or the loss of one’s physical integrity or health. It may be the loss of an important person, a beloved animal, or a precious relationship. Or the loss of a job, a home, or an intact environment. Since grief processes are sometimes socially visible and recognized in very different ways, I would also like to invite people who feel alone or misunderstood in their grief.
The program is suitable for children, teenagers, adults and families. You don’t need any previous experience.
You can learn more about my creative grief work for children and teens here.

You can use creative grief work to
- Remember yourself
- Take a fresh look at your own condition
- organize emerging feelings, thoughts and memories
- deal with inner turmoil
- Gain courage
- Allow less socially acceptable emotions such as shame, anger, guilt, pain, or relief
- Considering what you want to keep and what you want to let go of
- Saying goodbye
- Preserving memories and staying in touch with your deceased loved one
Every grief is different
That’s why creative grief work is a little different in every session. What I offer varies according to the needs, wishes and ideas of the people I accompany.
For example, you may bring ideas that are on your mind or that you would like to implement. Maybe your ideas are vague or you have a feeling. Then we can think together about what you would like to do with it. And of course it is also possible to create freely (i.e. without a theme) or to think together about what you feel like doing.


My “toolbox” for creative grief work includes
- Creating with various creative materials and methods (e.g. paper, paint and brush, stone, clay, photos, textiles, mementos, wood, etc.)
- Collaborative creation and improvisation
- Working creatively with personal memories or mementos
- Creating life and memory books
- Assistance with urn or casket design
- Rituals and farewell arrangements
- Imagination/fantasy journeys/metaphor work
- Fairy tale work
Procedure
- 20-minute info call by phone or online via video chat (free)
- Cost of additional meetings varies by scope
- Frequency and location of meetings by arrangement
- Appointment usually 60 minutes, longer by arrangement