Grief and Trauma

Donna B – “Offering Support”

Donna explains how talking/listening is a help. Donna continues to grieve the death her son during service in Afghanistan.

Jordin Tootoo – “We Matter Campaign”

Jordin talks about the death of his brother and how he deals with it.

Cameron Halkett – “We Matter Campaign”

Cameron talks about her loss and reads her poem about not being alone.

Shawn – “Dad”

Shawn describes finding out his father died by suicide and the shock and grief that followed. Shawn continues to grieve the death of his father by suicide

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.

Russell – “Questions people ask”

Russell discusses how he answers the hardest questions people ask. Russell continues to grieve the perinatal death of his son.

Sarah K – Complicated feelings

Sarah discusses the complicated emotions after her husband’s death like feeling sad, distraught, overwhelmed , relieved and guilty

Bryan – Empathy for others

Bryan talks about how losing his father to gun violence was difficult and how taking things day by day helped him get through many difficult times. Now he wants to help children who are going through something similar to what he did. Things will get better and there is always a light at the end of the tunnel

Shannon – Losing is a life skill

Shannon shares about losing her husband to suicide, her parents and her father-in-law. She felt broken and to be able to take care of her kids and her self seemed overwhelming. It took someone telling her that you can heal from trauma to give her hope for healing.

Krista – “Feel the feelings”

Krista discusses why she thinks it’s important to deal with feelings. Krista continues to grieve the death of her son from opioid overdose.

When Death Feels like a Thief

In the heart of my grief, at my frailest, all I could see was what was no more. I grieved all that was stolen from me by death; love, security and even my very self. Had I known the value of having every pocket of who I was, picked bare by grief, I would not have fought so hard to hold onto it all.

Rev. Sky – “Grief is a journey”

Rev. Sky talks about her personal loss and the positive changes that happen as we journey through grief.