Bereavement Professionals’ Insights

Chantal – The benefits of the physical part of art making

Chantal talks about how art can release energy in a healthy cathartic way

Janice- “Stay with feelings”

Janice talks about how feelings can be buried and how working through them can help.

Michele – Covid and virtual support

MIchele discuss support and how COVID has affected our grief in so many waysort

Alongside

That is also our best, and only role, when supporting a person with a developmental disability to grieve. We must be the one that comes alongside. There is no closer place we can get to. We must be present, be with, perhaps not understanding or comprehending what the person we support is experiencing, but alongside them nonetheless. We must be there, ready to provide whatever we can discover of their unique need in grief.

Maureen – “Your experience of loss is unique”

Maureen explains how your experience of grief is your own.

Maureen – “Milestones and anniversaries”

Maureen talks about loss and what happens over time.

Corrie – Pandemic of grief

Corrie discusses how much grief there is

Maureen – Preparing for holidays

Maureen gives some ideas to help during holidays like connecting and taking time out

Jen – “Grief yoga”

Jen talks about how yoga may be beneficial.

Craig – How men process grief

Craig talks about his personal story of grief and how he learned to process his emotions in a healthy way. He discusses the challenges that men face when grieving, and offers advice on how to find healthy ways to cope with loss.Craig lost his wife, his mother, his job, and his home in a short period of time. He describes how he felt pressured to be stoic and strong for others, and how this made it difficult for him to grieve. He eventually realized that it was important to allow himself to feel his emotions, even the difficult ones.Craig shares some of the things that helped him to process his grief, such as talking to a therapist, writing in a journal, and spending time in nature. He also emphasizes the importance of finding support from friends and family. This video is a powerful and moving story of how one man found healing after experiencing a series of devastating losses. It is an important reminder that grief is a normal and healthy emotion, and that there are healthy ways to cope with it.

Madelyn – Advice to younger self

Madelyn discusses how having feelings is a gift and you can work through tough ones. There is hope.

Claudia – Art and coping with grief and loss

Claudia talk about how art is especially beneficial for someone coping with grief and loss