Bereavement Professionals’ Insights

Claudia – Being stuck and art therapy

Claudia discusses remunating how art therapist can help create different positive perspectives

Christian – “Grief can bring new life”

Christian explains where he found hope in grief.

Sara – My Story

Sara talks about why she became a music therapist, espression and connecting to feelings

Donna – “Living with grief”

Donna talks about the threads of grief and her personal experience.

Michele – Advice to younger grieving self

Michele tells what advice she would give to her younger grieving self

Rev. Sky – “It’s OK to cry”

Rev. Sky talks about loss due to gun violence, that it’s OK to cry and finding an outlet.

Professional Insights Playlist

Listen to the thoughts and insights of professionals helping people and families to cope with grief.

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.”

A Million Other Things: Grieving a Drug Poisoning Death

Sister, father, son, niece, best friend – some of these words might be how you would describe your loved one who has died of an overdose or drug poisoning. People Who Use Drugs (PWUD) are not defined by their substance use – they are a million other things to those who love and miss them dearly. Drug poisoning and overdose deaths are stigmatized in our society. The focus is on how the person died, not who they are. Society still holds onto old notions and beliefs about drugs which come with a value judgment about people who use drugs, which further contributes to stigma. Not everyone who uses drugs is an addict and not all drug use is inherently problematic. People who use drugs deserve dignity and respect when we are remembering and honouring those who have died by overdose or drug poisoning.

Chantal – My Story

Chantal discusses finding a release in doing a graphic novel to explore her grief as a thesis in art therapy school

Janice – “Crying”

Janice explains how crying helps physically and emotionally.

Children’s Grief and Loss Toolkit (ages 6-12) [FREE Downloadable PDF]

Grief is a natural experience, and is considered one of the most stressful life events a person can experience. 1 in 14 children under the age of 18 will experience the death of someone close to them. Every year, approximately 200 000 children are grieving the death of someone in their extended family or community.…