Julia Samuel MBE answers the questions people ask most about grief, on film and in writing.
A breakup or divorce can bring every feeling of grief, with one painful twist: the person is still alive and carrying on without you. Why it hurts so much, why staying in touch keeps the wound open, and the one thing I suggest.
Julia Samuel MBE
· 5 min read
Two partners can lose the same person and grieve in completely different ways. Why that can drive a wedge between you, and the one thing that helps couples stay close through loss.
Julia Samuel MBE
· 4 min read
When your partner dies and the relationship was complicated, the chance to put things right goes with them. Why regret and guilt hurt so much, and how to work with them rather than trying to tidy them away.
Julia Samuel MBE
· 4 min read
Fear, fury, jealousy and numbness, often all at once. Why grief can turn you into a version of yourself you don't know, and the simple practice of naming what you feel.
Julia Samuel MBE
· 4 min read
Putting grief in a box might work for a while. Why pushed-down grief tends to return with the next loss, what it can do to your body and mind, and how to let it through a little at a time.
Julia Samuel MBE
· 4 min read
Building a new life after your partner dies can feel like a betrayal. Why that guilt comes, what the "new normal" really means, and how to build your life around the loss rather than away from it.
Julia Samuel MBE
· 4 min read
When your husband, wife, partner or parent has dementia or a terminal illness, you can grieve them long before they die. Why this living loss is so painful, why you may feel angry or even want it to be over, and the conversations that help.
Julia Samuel MBE
· 5 min read
It feels almost wrong to ask. You'd never wish for the loss. And yet, somewhere along the way, you might notice something shifting. What used to matter doesn't anymore. What you took for granted feels precious now. You might even discover you're stronger than you ever imagined.
Julia Samuel MBE
· 3 min video
Anniversaries and milestone days can intensify grief, reminding us of our loved one and past celebrations. It’s important to acknowledge these moments and create a meaningful ritual to remember them, whether it’s lighting a candle, sharing a memory, or gathering with loved ones.
Julia Samuel MBE
· 2 min video
Grief is deeply personal, but there is a process. Not a tidy one, not a straight line, but a natural movement between feeling the pain and giving yourself a break from it. Both are necessary. Both help you heal.
Julia Samuel MBE
· 3 min video
Losing someone to suicide brings a particular kind of pain. The what ifs. The guilt. The quiet, unbearable question: could I have stopped this if I'd loved them better, called them sooner, done something differently?
Julia Samuel MBE
· 2 min video
When people ask Julia "how long am I going to feel this bad?" — her answer might surprise you.
Julia Samuel MBE
· 2 min video
When a pregnancy ends, people often expect your grief to match the number of weeks. But that's not how it works. You weren't grieving a number of cells. You were grieving the future you'd already started to imagine: the pram, the car seat, the family you were becoming.
Julia Samuel MBE
· 4 min video
It feels almost wrong to ask. Can anything good come from losing someone you love? You'd never wish for the pain. And yet, somewhere along the way, something in you might start to shift.
Julia Samuel MBE
· 4 min video
One of the hardest parts of grief isn't just what we feel ourselves. It's knowing what to say to others. How do you explain death to a child without scaring them? What do you say to a friend who's lost someone, when you're terrified of making it worse?
Julia Samuel MBE
· 4 min video
"I don't have time to grieve right now." It's something many of us tell ourselves. But as Julia explains, grief doesn't disappear when we ignore it — it waits.
Julia Samuel MBE
· 2 min video
Grief is invisible. On the outside, life carries on. But inside, you might feel like you're falling apart. Your memory is gone. Your body aches. You're furious at people you love, numb to things you used to care about, and convinced you're failing because you can't just tidy up your feelings and move on.
Julia Samuel MBE
· 4 min video
When you're in the middle of grief, it can feel like the pain will never lift. Like you'll be stuck here forever. In this video, Julia explains why that feeling is normal, why guilt is grief's most painful companion, and how small things like structure, community and keeping your timeframes short can help you get through one day at a time.
Julia Samuel MBE
· 7 min video
