Bereavement Professionals’ Insights

Adrianna – Triggers and the ball in the box analogy

Adrianna gives some great insights on how to deal with triggers

Chantal – Grief and art therapy group

Chantal talks about the honour of being witness to other peoples story and exploration of grief and art therapy

Chantal – Physical symptoms and grieving

Chantal talks about panic attacks and thinking she was having a heart attack

Caleigh – Play Therapy

Caileigh explains how play therapy, a form of psychotherapy can help children in grief. It is specifically used when working with children and families and youth because it’s developmentally appropriate. They are never expected to sit down and to talk. And it is through the language of play that they’re able to learn about the confusing feelings of grief. They are able to learn new skills to cope with their grief, and they’re able to go at their own pace.

Chantal – Anticipatory grief

Chantal defines antipatory grief and the grief before the physical loss

Jen – “1st year non-judgmental”

Jen discusses the ups and downs of the 1st year.

Michele – Advice to younger grieving self

Michele tells what advice she would give to her younger grieving self

Caileigh – Working with children in grief

Caileigh shares why she likes working with and supporting children in grief. “Over the course of their lives, children and youth and families experience a lot of losses, and it’s an empowering job to empower others. I’m not only empowering them, but I’m also building parent capacity in recognizing that it does take a village and it takes a community to support a child.”

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.

Jenn – Art can be grounding and meditative

Jenn explains how the textures , qualities and colours of art can be grounding and meditative

Coping with Guilt in Grief Playlist

Listen to the thoughts and insights of people and families living with grief.

Donna – “Helping a grieving friend”

Donna shares some practical ways to help someone in grief.