Laura- Loss from Addiction

Kristal – Professional Experience and Work

April 23, 2023

Kristal discusses being a peer support woker, working on a one on one level with community members to help them with their goals related to substance abuse. She supports those in the community dealing with loss and grief. She speaks to everyone’s experience with loss and grief being very individual.

Kate – My art and my brother

March 11, 2023

Kate talks about being an artist and expression through art can remind her of her brothers encouragement

Kristal – Drug Poisoning During Pandemic Stigma

April 23, 2023

Kristal discusses how the pandemic has created additional stigma surrounding those who use drugs. She dissuses how it seems like some losses are treated as more deserving of being mourned than others. Many people have had to grieve privately instead of publically within a community. She touches on the state of the public health system during the pandemic.

Kate – Trust and listening

March 11, 2023

Kate – explains how having someone you trust is super important so that you can have a space space to go to

Christian – Denial and grieving

April 23, 2023

Christian discusses what happens after members of the community die from drug poisoning and how it’s OK for grief to be messy

Christian – Grieving spaces

April 23, 2023

Christian talks grieving spaces and people coming together when grieving

Kristal – Activism To Ease Anger and Grief

April 23, 2023

Kristal discusses using activism to help ease or channel her anger from the loss of those in her community to drug poisoning. She talks about her grief being very quiet and inward before, but that taking action helps her to move through it. She discusses how there may not be peace from these losses, but the goal should rather be feeling safe in the emotions.

Nicole – Using Art and Creativity to Express Grief

March 25, 2023

Nicole discusses the work she does to allow access to creative outlets such as art hives and gardening.

Kristal – Lack of Memorials During Pandemic

April 23, 2023

Kristal talks about how memorials can offer closure to people who are grieving, find a community, and share stories. With the absence of this during the pandemic, many people turned inward to grieve or isolated, which can create safety issues and have an impact on mental health. She speaks to how this leads to depression, physical pain, and it compounds upon itself.

Laura- Loss to Covid & Disconnection

February 21, 2022