Bereavement Professionals’ Insights

Chantal – Giving space

Chantal discusses how it is good and honouring to the one you’ve lost to give space and feel everything

Jean – It’s all about love

Jean talks about losing her husband to a heart attack on valentines day

Janice – “Pay attention to our feelings”

Janice discuss the importance of being aware of your feelings.

Maureen – “Grief can change the landscape of your relationships”

Maureen discusses how relationships can be challenged by grief.

Caleigh – Play Session

Caileigh discusses child play sessions, how children can learn about confusing feelings of grief and ways to cope.

Rev. Sky – “It gets easier”

Rev. Sky talks about time and allowing emotion.

Maureen – “Group therapy vs individual therapy”

Maureen talks about what kind of counselling may work for you.

Claudia – Art, art as therapy and art therapy

Claudia discusses the definition of therapy and how art therapists are formally trained.

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.

Keith – “You need not be alone”

Keith discusses getting help, resources and that you don’t need to be alone.

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.

Cara – Defining Intellectual disabilities and grief

Cara discusses how grief literacy needs to be improved across the board for people with intellectual disabilities to learn more about grief, death and dying. There is a great need to include them in this natural, normal part of life that we’ll all experience.