The Mind-Body Connection

Your mind and body aren't two separate things — they're one continuous conversation. When you think about your person, your body responds. When your body feels tense, it sends messages back: stay alert, don't let your guard down.

An enormous part of your system is being used unconsciously to process something almost impossibly difficult. Your mind is working overtime to update its entire understanding of the world. This work is happening beneath your awareness, constantly — which is why you're left with only scraps of energy for everything else.

So when you stand in the supermarket having forgotten your wallet, or look at your best friend and can't summon their name, this isn't you losing your mind. You're not broken. You're processing the impossible.

In the Moment: When the Wave Hits

When the wave hits, in whatever form, come back to your breath.

Breathe in slowly for four counts. Hold for seven. Exhale for eight.

You're sending your body a message: We're safe. We can slow down. As the cortisol — that stress hormone keeping you frozen — begins to ease, something shifts. Not the grief, necessarily. But your relationship to this moment of it.

In Your Daily Routine: Movement

One of the fastest ways to help your grieving body is to move it. Even for just five minutes, movement burns through the cortisol keeping you in fight-or-flight. Your body receives a message: You've fled. You're safe now. Those stress chemicals transform into dopamine and serotonin — the neurotransmitters that whisper safe to every cell.

This doesn't mean running shoes and a gym. It could be dancing to one song in your kitchen, walking to the end of your street, or gentle stretching. Whatever your body can manage today — that's enough.

If you can step outside, there's something about nature that holds us differently. Choose a tree and really look at it. Feel the air on your skin. Let yourself be held by something larger than your grief, just for these few minutes.

In Your Own Time: Creating Anchors of Safety

Our minds are like CCTV cameras when we're grieving, constantly scanning for danger. What if you created small rituals that your body comes to recognise as signals of safety?

Perhaps it's the way you make tea: feeling the warmth in your hands, the whole ritual becoming a way of saying to yourself, I'm taking care of you. Or lighting a candle each evening and watching the flame. Maybe it's a playlist of soothing songs, or sitting in a warm bath and letting yourself be held by the water.

These aren't distractions from grief. They're anchors — ways of weaving moments of tenderness into days that can feel unbearably harsh. They're you learning to offer yourself what you need most: the sense that you're not abandoned, even by yourself.

If You'd Like More Support

If it's hard to navigate this alone, the Grief Works Programme offers weekly live sessions where members share support, simple tools, and coping strategies together. Our mindfulness sessions include guided meditations and gentle practices to help you notice, soothe, and support your body in grief.

Together, we explore:

Breath and body work — gentle scans to settle the nervous system and create a sense of safety

Grounding techniques — soft breathing and small movements you can use anytime

Reflective practices — ways to translate sensations into words and create small self-care plans

We know it's a difficult time to make decisions, and to know what will help. There's a 30-day money-back guarantee — if it's not the right fit for you, we'll provide a refund with no questions asked.

You're also welcome to connect with others in the Grief Works Facebook community, where members support each other through their grief journeys.