I Am A Griever

John – Support over time

John discusses how support changes over time

Betsy – Adoption and grief

Betsy tell her story of losing her adopted son to cancer

Joyce – Being gentle on yourself

Joyce explains the importance of being gentle on yourself in grief as you face guilt and should haves

Lyss – Responsibilities

Lyss talks about her mother’s death, being the eldest and how it has effected the way she feels about responsibilities

Caileigh – My own grief and supporting others

Caileigh tells about her own grief and now it has given her a really powerful lens on how to support children going through grief as well. Along with her professional education and training, there is now a different perspective on grief and how that fits in with supporting others.

Joyce – Mothers supporting mothers in grief

Joyce talks about the value of a support network of other mothers who have lost

Kate – COVID and grieving with my parents

Kate shares about how COVID was stress on top of dealing with the loss of her brother

A Million Other Things: Grieving a Drug Poisoning Death

Sister, father, son, niece, best friend – some of these words might be how you would describe your loved one who has died of an overdose or drug poisoning. People Who Use Drugs (PWUD) are not defined by their substance use – they are a million other things to those who love and miss them dearly. Drug poisoning and overdose deaths are stigmatized in our society. The focus is on how the person died, not who they are. Society still holds onto old notions and beliefs about drugs which come with a value judgment about people who use drugs, which further contributes to stigma. Not everyone who uses drugs is an addict and not all drug use is inherently problematic. People who use drugs deserve dignity and respect when we are remembering and honouring those who have died by overdose or drug poisoning.

Joyce – When you are a mother who loses a child

Joyce shares about how she has felt as a mother who lost a child

Left Out: Enfranchising Children’s Grief and Loss

By: Jessica Milette, MSW, RSW All human beings have the capacity to grieve: people with intellectual disabilities, those living with a traumatic brain injury, and children of all ages. However, many people can experience disenfranchised grief when someone dies. Disenfranchised grief is generally grief that is not usually openly acknowledged, socially accepted or publicly mourned.…

Kate – Trust and listening

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

Scott – The importance of processing

Scott discusses having a nervous breakdown and realizing that he hadn’t fully processed the grief he had been through with the loss of his mother and father. He also discusses how music helped him moving forward