Grief and Trauma

Krista’s Story

Krista tells her story and talks about getting the call that no parent wants to get.

Cheryl and Mike – “Getting help”

Mike and Cheryl talk about their surviving daughter and getting help. They continue to grieve the death their daughter in a car accident.

Rev. Sky – “What is trauma?”

Rev. Sky discusses how trauma affects us on many levels.

Shawn – “Loss of a Sister”

Shawn talks about his guilt and the loss of his sister.

Donna B – “Sharing Stories”

Donna shares a story and explains why it feels so good. Donna continues to grieve the death her son during service in Afghanistan.

What I know about grief

The following are some things I know to be true about grief for me, based on my lived experience. Some of them may resonate with you as well. Grief is unique to the people experiencing it in each moment, so please take whatever makes sense to you from this share and leave whatever doesn’t.

Rev. Sky – “Retraumatization”

Rev. Sky discusses trauma and re-experiencing the initial emotion had at the beginning of a loss.

Donna B – “Support from the military”

Donna explains how great the military support has been. Donna continues to grieve the death her son during service in Afghanistan.

Cheryl and Mike – “Everybody’s different”

Cheryl and Mike discuss how everyone is unique in their grieving. They continue to grieve the death their daughter in a car accident.

Tending to My Garden of Grief

So long as I remember the lives of those I have lost, honour their presence and impact on me and celebrate their spirit, they will continue to live with me and the pain will feel bearable. It will no longer stop me in my tracks. Instead, it will encourage me and propel me forward through the transmutation of that grief into something different, something more nuanced and fluid. I’d like to share a practice for processing grief which I have found to be especially helpful.

Brenda and Dale – “David’s Room”

Brenda and Dale discuss their process of dealing with their son’s room. They continue to grieve the death of their son by suicide.

Bryan – Helping Others

Bryan explains how his experience with grief has helped him help others and why it’s so important for him.