Bereavement Professionals’ Insights

Christian – “Grief in the opioid crisis”

Christian talks about looking for answers in great sadness.

Chantal – You don’t have to be an artist to take part in art therapy

Chantal explains that you don’t have to be an artist to participate in art therapy and acutally if you have less art experience you will enjoy it more.

Maureen – “My miscarriages and attachment”

Maureen tells about her miscarriages, attachment and understanding why she felt so terrible.

Cara – Grief and intellectual disabilities is a topic that needs to “get out there”

Cara shares some information from a participant in her research on intellectual disabilities and the bereaved. A person with an intellectual disability said… “Grief: It’s a topic that needs to get out there” Grief is something that so many people are hesitant to talk about, to display, to show, because there’s so many social rules around how we grieve. This is particularily challenging for the intellectually disabled.

Rev. Sky – “Retraumatization”

Rev. Sky discusses trauma and re-experiencing the initial emotion had at the beginning of a loss.

Corrie – Grief is like a rollercoaster

Corrie talks about grief over time

Rev. Sky – “Feeling numb”

Rev. Sky discusses how feeling numb is a normal emotion and what you need to move forward.

Sara – Music and grief

Sara discusses how music can connect and help by acknowledging grief and bringing comfort

Collective Grief

When the death of a person affects many members in a community, city, country, or across the world, people will experience collective grief.

These are some things that can help people through the experience of collective grief across a community.

Jean – Be good to yourself

Jean shares about support and not being hard on yourself

Janice – “The importance of listening”

Janice explains the importance of not being judgemental and listening when helping someone is in grief.

Claudia – Art therapy and costs

Claudia talks about how people may shy away from art therapy because of costs and how training schools can be an option