There’s a quiet pressure that creeps in for many people in their late twenties and thirties. It might begin with friends getting engaged, baby announcements on social media, or conversations about mortgage rates and nursery schools. Without even realising it, you might start to judge your own life and ask, “Am I behind?”

In a world that seems to reward speed, productivity, and constant availability, the idea of slowing down can feel countercultural or even indulgent. But in the therapy room, I often see how relentless busyness disconnects us from ourselves, from others, and from what truly matters.

Grief doesn’t follow a straight line. It doesn’t move through tidy stages or resolve on a set timeline. However, many people I work with come to therapy wondering if they’re grieving “properly” - whether they’re doing it too slowly, too quickly, or not in the right way.