Grief and Easter: The Days That Catch Us Off Guard

When we think of grief and the dates that carry weight, we often think of birthdays, anniversaries, or Christmas. The big ones. The ones people expect to be hard. But grief doesn’t just visit on the “obvious” days. Sometimes, it shows up in the quiet corners of our calendar—on days like Easter.

Admittedly, Easter wasn’t a day I immediately connected with grief. But recently, I’ve been reflecting on stories shared with me—memories of big family gatherings, the smell of roast lamb filling the kitchen, a loved one orchestrating it all with warmth and care. Maybe they were the one who always cooked the Easter meal. Or perhaps they bought the chocolate eggs, planned the egg hunt, or made everyone laugh over dessert.

And now—without them—Easter feels different. Not just because they’re gone, but because the rituals they shaped are still happening… just in a slightly emptier way. That ache can be wrapped in love and longing, joy and sorrow, all at once.

As commercialisation grows and our timelines fill with images of perfect celebrations, it becomes even harder to avoid the reminders. Everyone seems to be smiling, sharing sunny moments with family and friends. But grief doesn’t pause for the holidays. And for some, these days become yet another tightrope to walk—balancing the desire to be present with the quiet tug of absence.

There are also the smaller moments that go unseen—the ones grievers carry silently. The first time buying Easter eggs without needing to get “their” favourite. Setting the table and noticing the gap. Being surrounded by people, but feeling a part of you is missing.

This year, Easter feels especially tender for me. A good friend of mine died recently. She passed just before Mother’s Day, and now her funeral will be just before Easter. I can’t help but think of her children—how these dates might echo for them each year. How spring, a season so associated with new life and light, might now always carry a thread of sadness too.

As a hypnotherapist and mindset coach in Burton on Trent, I often support people who are navigating grief—not just the grief of losing someone they love, but also the grief that can resurface around meaningful dates and holidays. It can be especially tough when others assume you're "okay now" or that a certain amount of time has passed. But grief doesn’t work that way. It ebbs and flows, and sometimes the waves hit hardest on the days we least expect.

If you’re finding this time of year difficult, know that you’re not alone. Whether you’re struggling to get through Easter, Mother’s Day, or simply one of those quiet, tender days that no one else knows about—it’s okay to feel what you feel.

You don't have to go through it in silence.

How Hypnotherapy Can Help

Grief isn’t something to be “fixed.” It’s something to be carried. But sometimes, that weight feels unbearable. Hypnotherapy doesn’t take the pain away, but it can help you find ways to sit with it, to breathe through it, to let it be there without drowning in it.

I offer 1:1 sessions in Burton-on-Trent, supporting those navigating grief, loss, and difficult emotions. My sessions are a safe, non-judgmental space where you can begin to:

• Create a space for your grief—a place where you can honour the love that still exists, without pushing the pain away.
• Process emotions that feel too big—whether it’s sadness, guilt, anger, or the exhaustion of holding it all in.
• Find moments of peace—even in the heaviness, even in the heartbreak.

Whether you're newly bereaved or carrying long-held loss, hypnotherapy can help you process emotions, find moments of calm, and begin to reclaim parts of yourself that may feel lost.

Feel free to reach out if you'd like to know more or to book a free consultation.

April 2025