Bereavement Professionals’ Insights

Corrie – Triggers

Corrie discuss the many types of triggers

Christian – “Overdose Death”

Christian talks about an overdose death not defining who that person was.

Donna – “Helping a grieving friend”

Donna shares some practical ways to help someone in grief.

Maureen – “Carrying grief”

Maureen gives an analogy of how hard it is to carry griefMaureen gives an analogy of how hard it is to carry grief.

Michael – “A story of loss and longing”

Michael relays a story of a man coping after the loss of his wife.

Sara – Lyrics

Sara talks about how lyrics can have an impact on how we experience music

Maureen – Holiday Traditions

Maureen talks about anticipating a holiday and considering honouring a loved one

Marija – Types of Loss in a Pandemic

Marija explains how all of the losses we experience during a pandemic are compounded

Claudia – Art and coping with grief and loss

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

Shannon – Power of Presence

Shannon discusses how just showing up, being present is a powerful way of supporting to someone who has lost. Listen more – talk less.

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.

Claudia – Art in community versus art therapy

Claudia explains how art therapists are trained and how what they do is different that doing art in community