The first time grief showed up at my door, I slammed it shut. I was 21, had just had the ground knocked out from under my feet by deep personal loss and was by no means not ready to invite grief in. It took me years before I realised it did not need that invitation. That instead, it was grief doing the inviting, and I was only slamming the door shut on myself.

I have known more loss since. And have become aware of the myriad of ways loss had already been laced throughout my life and had gone unnoticed, unfelt.

I have spent the past decade finding my feet again. Reconnecting to my body, rooting deeply in myself so I could weather the storms and ride the waves that are an unavoidable part of life, when we live it lovingly. The latter half of that decade has moreover been dedicated to gaining the tools, understanding, skills and experiences that would allow me to support others as they embark on their grief pilgrimage - as we all at one point must in our lives.

Grief Pilgrims has grown from the earth that was so rudely upturned all those years ago. It has blossomed from the seeds that were planted and that I patiently tended to over the years until finally they broke above ground. It combines my grieving soul’s yearnings with the skills and knowledge I have obtained over the years. I hope you feel welcomed and held by what it has become.