Bereavement Professionals’ Insights

Rev. Sky – “What is grief?”

Rev. Sky talks about the universality of grief and how people grieve differently.

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.”

Michele – Talks about being a death doula

Michele explains what death doula’s do. Doula means servant. They support people on many different levels… for instance, emotionally, spiritually and physically

Jen – “From funeral director to yoga for grief”

Jen talks about how being a funeral director and how yoga and grief became connected for her.

Chantal – Physical symptoms and grieving

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

Madelyn – Expressing your feelings

Madelyn talks about being a 2nd generation Canadian chinese and keeping grief in. She explains the importnace of expressing your feelings and not feel guilty about it

Jenn – The difference between expressive and creative arts

Jenn explains the difference between expressive and creative arts. You don’t have to limit yourself to art making to help you through your grief process. Expressive arts encompasses a wide variety of approaches including drama, dance, movement, writing and music

Cara – The real issues for grieving people with intellectual disabilities

Cara provides some context for the real issue of grief in the lives of people with intellectual disabilities and those supporting them, including that we consider that there’s not a lot of education or information out there about how best to support someone with an intellectual disability who is grieving.

Janice – “Own our feelings”

Janice discusses the goals of emotional work and arriving at a peaceful place.

Amanda – “The Little Things”

Amanda talks about how little things can be a huge gift during palliative care.

Keith – “How can you help”

Keith explains that by imagining being in someone’s position can show you practical ways of helping them.

Chantal – The benefits of the physical part of art making

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