Death of a Parent

Grief & Ice Cream

When my wife of 18 years died in 2016, I became a single father missing the love of my life, and also had to learn how to raise two girls (13-17 at the time) on my own. I remember a conversation I had with my mother-in-law and oldest daughter that began as reminiscing over a person who became a lost love to all of us. We all talked about different aspects of my wife but shortly, it transformed into a “who meant more to her” fest.

Cheryl and Mike – “Their Story”

Cheryl and Mike discuss losing more than one family member. They continue to grieve Cheryl’s father and the death their daughter in a car accident.

Matt – My Story

Matt tells how he found his birth mother and then lost her.

Mourning a Man I Never Knew

This spring, I turned fifty-four. I have now outlived the father I never knew: my biological father. It’s been almost twenty-three years since we spoke; eighteen years since I learned of his death. I’m still dealing with the strange grief of his loss.

Cheryl and Mike – “Multiple losses”

Cheryl and Mike discuss the differences in loss of people who love you unconditionally. They continue to grieve Cheryl’s father and the death their daughter in a car accident.

Rebecca – Humour and grief

Rebecca talks about how she and her father used humour as a strategy during his illness and after he died

KIm – Planning a funeral in the pandemic

Kim explains the ups and downs of planning a funeral during the pandemic

Maureen – “Unresolved conflicts”

Maureen shares about her Dad, anger, love and some tools to manage unresolved conflicts.

Hope – Not wanting to burden my Mom and school

Hope talks about her fathers death, burdens and the importance of sharing emotions

Lisa -How grief changes

Lisa talks about being lost after her Dad passed away and two years later how she has come to a place of groundedness

Keith – “My story”

Keith tells his story and why he became a counsellor.

Jackie – Expressive arts can help when grief is confusing

Jackie talks about how working with an artist therapist helped her after her sister and mother died