I’m glad you’re here
If you’ve found your way here, you may be carrying a loss you never wanted. You might be waking up in a life you didn’t choose, feeling expected to “move on” when the future you imagined has quietly disappeared.
You may be functioning. Working. Even smiling. And yet, beneath the surface, something still aches.
Grief after loss isn’t something you simply get over. It’s something you learn to carry. And with time, care, and honesty, it can slowly transform.
I created Held & Shine as a gentle space for people living with grief in all its forms, including the quieter losses that change who you are, how you see the world, and how you imagine the future.
I don’t believe grief needs fixing or diagnosing. I believe it needs space.
Here, we make room for the uncertainty, the guilt that can appear around moments of laughter, the anxiety about who you’re becoming, and the loneliness that can linger even when others think you’re “doing well.”
I work with people navigating many kinds of loss, with a particular depth of experience in partner loss. Together, we hold both grief and growth with care.
In this space, you may begin to discover that:
Grief and joy can coexist. Moments of light do not betray your loss; they honour your humanity.
You can honour the past while gently shaping a future that still belongs to you.
Moving forward does not mean forgetting. You can carry love with you, always.
My coaching unfolds gently through three phases, supporting you from the rawness of loss toward a life that can hold meaning again.
A SAFE PLACE TO ARRIVE
You are met exactly as you are. There is no need to perform, explain, or hold it together. This is a space where your grief has room, where you can cry, speak, or sit in silence, and where you are heard and held.
GENTLY FINDING YOUR WAY
As steadiness returns, we explore what has shifted. Who you are now. What still matters. What you want your life to look like. Together, we honour what has changed and what remains, allowing clarity, direction, and quiet hope to emerge.
LIVING WITH GRIEF AND JOY
Shining isn’t about going back. It’s about learning how to live fully in a life that now holds both grief and joy. You begin to carry your love forward, reclaiming meaning, trust, and aliveness, gently and without guilt. You are not broken. You do not need fixing.
Grief is personal, and support needs to meet you where you are. Some people prefer the quiet intimacy of one-to-one sessions, others find comfort in shared group spaces, and some are drawn to creative, art-based support.
There is no right choice, only the one that feels possible for you.
A private, personalised space, just for you.
One-to-one sessions shaped around where you are and what you need, at a pace that honours you. Some days may call for gentle guidance; other days, simply being heard without judgement.
A gentle, structured journey through grief guided by the STILL Method.
A steady six-week container with weekly themes and guided support, based on the STILL Method. For those who feel ready for structure, shared support, and a compassionate pace.
Gentle, theme-based workshops held in community.
One-off workshops centred around a specific theme, offering connection, reflection, and shared understanding. You’re welcome to share, listen, or simply be present.
Art-based support guided by a STILL Method–trained Art Therapy Coach.
A steady six-week container with weekly themes and guided support, based on the STILL Method. For those who feel ready for structure, shared support, and a compassionate pace. One-to-one sessions shaped around where you are and what you need, at a pace that honours you. Some days may call for gentle guidance; other days, simply being heard without judgement.
I see you.
I’m Vasilka, and I know this path because I’ve walked it myself.
After my husband died, I spent years searching for support that felt real. What I often found instead were rushed conversations, well-meaning clichés, and quiet pressure to “be okay.” It wasn’t enough.
What I needed was understanding. Patience. A safe space to fall apart and slowly find my way again.
I’m a certified grief coach, with a particular depth of experience in partner loss. I created Held & Shine to be the kind of space I once needed, where grief is welcomed and nothing is rushed.
Here, you are met as you are. Seen, held, and supported, without judgement and without hurry.
