Katie Hutton Counselling Shrewsbury

30/11/2025

Christmas festivities are about to begin and the season can be filled with joy, happiness, friends and family. But for those who are grieving it can be a painful time, Cruse Bereavement Support share some ideas on how to cope and look after yourself over the festive season.

Celebrations and occasions like Christmas and Hanukkah can evoke a range of emotions.

With memories of past celebrations and anticipations of this year's gatherings, navigating grief at this time of year can be difficult. Even if you don't mark these events, we're all surrounded by reminders- from adverts and social media posts to shop displays.

It’s important to look after yourself and work out the best ways to cope.

On our website, we've shared some tips on coping with grief over the festive season ⬇️

https://ow.ly/Wfcq50XpQHn

14/08/2025

A message to everyone getting their A-level results today.

30/04/2025

The end of another month, a time to reflect. I really like this from Meredith Vanness, especially: ‘Your best will look different every day.’ 💚

29/03/2025

Image from ‘Lucy Claire Illustration’.
Not an easy weekend for many, thinking of those who are struggling ❤️

07/03/2025

💛 Some stuff takes time 💛

05/01/2025

💪

01/01/2025

💛

When I say ‘happy new year’,
I’m not for a moment,
expecting this to occur,
for that is not possible,
a year must be all things.

Happiness must come and go,
like the tides and the winds,
just as sadness,
and all the emotions in between.

When I say ‘happy new year’,
I’m really wishing you,
a baseline of peace,
of gratitude.

Because if you can sit with these things,
for the most part,
happiness will thrive,
when it does arrive,
and sadness will know its place in the mix.

If you can nourish these things,
daily,
you will also grow hope,
for it flourishes in such soil.

And hope is the key,
to this enigmatic state
of ‘happiness’ we seek.

When I say ‘happy new year’,
I’m really wishing you more happy days,
than sad days,
more joy than misery,
more laughter than tears…
and the wisdom to accept,
that they all belong.

Happy new year, my friends.
Happy new year.

Donna Ashworth

From my guided daily journal ‘Words to live by’.
https://amzn.eu/d/fMz6Qzv

24/12/2024

17/11/2024

🫶🏻

01/11/2024

‘Seek out light whenever you can my friends, and pay no heed to those who condemn your sparkle.’ ✨
💛 Donna Ashworth 💛

WELCOME NOVEMBER…

There is something about November that says ‘keep going’.
We are not quite through the year, yet the finish-line looms.
We are plunged into darkness by Mother Nature.
We are faced with the ‘season of joy’,
and yet many of us wonder where we will find it.

And I think November is a great time to take a little peek behind you,
and see just how much you’ve done.
To take stock of your achievements, your endurance,
your survival.
To rest, reinforce, before the festivities envelope us all.
Before beautiful new beginnings.

And most importantly, November is a time to seek out light.
As the natural order darkens, we must find it ourselves.
We must do whatever we can to brighten our day,
our home, the world.

Seek out light wherever you can my friends,
and pay no heed to those who condemn your sparkle.

You are much-needed.

Keep showing up, in that special way only you can do.
And show up for yourself too
(which can sometimes mean not showing up at all).

This year has been hard.
Again.
But beautiful.
Again.

As is the way of life.

As is the way of life.

Donna Ashworth

Art by the beautiful Bettina Baldassari

(Happy to say you can now find all my monthly/seasonal pieces in my first ever daily guided journal, Words To Live By https://amzn.eu/d/2aUYxLl )