Grief and Trauma

Donna B – “A Mother salutes her son”

Donna tells her story of joining the army after her son was already a soldier. 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.

Angie – Cumulative grief, cumulative trauma

Angie discusses the challenges of policing and how trauma and grief can accumulate

Christian – “Growth out of pain”

Christian tells about how grief changes and we grow.

Rev. Sky – “What is trauma?”

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

Living in the Aftermath of Traumatic Death

The sudden unexpected, traumatic death of a loved one is something like having a limb torn off.

Shocking. As if the air has been sucked from your lungs and you can’t manage another breath.

Doug – “Birthdays”

Doug discusses time, pity and sharing with others. Doug continues to grieve the death of bis daughter in a car accident.

Rev. Sky – “Yearning”

Rev. Sky discusses yearning and how it’s OK to feel those emotions.

Sarah K – Talking about the cause of death

Sarah talks about husbands death to a heroin overdose and stigmatized death.

Shannon – Blessings and sadness

Shannon discusses how just showing up, being present is a powerful way of supporting to someone who has lost. Listen more – talk less.

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 – “What is a trigger”

Rev. Sky explains triggers, identifying them and what you need.