Samantha Langford

Samantha Langford is AtaLoss’s Subject Matter Expert on Bereavement Support in the Context of Investigated Death and workplace wellbeing consultant with a background in policing and a deeply personal connection to complex grief.

Her brother died at the age of 21, in circumstances that were sudden, stigmatised, and subject to investigation; his death was the result of autoerotic asphyxiation (AEA), a form of solitary sexual activity that can accidentally result in death. That experience, alongside her ten years as a Crime Scene Investigator, shaped the direction of her career and her commitment to supporting others through similarly difficult losses.

Samantha’s work in crime scene investigation gave her detailed insight into police and coronial procedures, including how families and employers are affected during and after an official investigation. She has supported a small charity through the sudden death of an employee and the investigation that followed, and now helps organisations think proactively about how to respond if a staff member dies, including what to say, how to support colleagues, and how to navigate formal processes with compassion.

Through her consultancy, Gaia Workplace Wellbeing, Samantha helps organisations build compassionate, evidence-based approaches to staff wellbeing. Her work spans strategy development, policy writing, training, and mentoring, with a focus on areas like trauma, mental health, menopause, and grief. She holds an MSc in Workplace Health and Wellbeing and works nationally with SMEs, charities, and national organisations to improve how people are supported at work.

She is also the founder of Unspoken Exhale, a community interest company supporting people bereaved by consensual sex-related deaths, including erotic and autoerotic asphyxiation. Unspoken Exhale exists to make space for grief that is often hidden, stigmatised, or misunderstood and helps people feel seen, supported, and less alone when shame or silence makes it harder to grieve.