Bereavement Professionals’ Insights

Janice – “It’s hard work”

Janice explains that hard work is necessary to reach the calm and peace.

Janice – “The importance of listening”

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

Madelyn – Holding space

Madelyn explains how holding space can help anyone in grief

Weathering the Intense Emotions of Grief

Grief often comes with powerful, unpredictable emotional shifts that can be painful to experience. While it’s important to find ways to sit with these feelings, to acknowledge the pain of grief and accept loss, it’s also necessary to find ways to ease and manage the pain. There are several simple activities that you can explore to help.

Jessica M – My Story

Jessica talks about losing her grandfather at 14 when her mother was terminal, her mother and aunt died when she was 15. She felt alone until she found a peer support group

Jean – Be good to yourself

Jean shares about support and not being hard on yourself

Keith – “We need one another”

Keith talks about the importance of story, understanding our journey and how we are connected.

Carrie – Grief and creativity

Carrie talks about creativity and expressing grief and loss… that in many ways can offer insight and comfort for those who are grieving

Craig – Resilience in the Face of Adversity

Craig how he overcame a series of challenges, including the loss of his marriage, his job, and his home. He talks about how he found the strength to keep going and how he learned to be more resilient.

Janice – “Pay attention to our feelings”

Janice discuss the importance of being aware of your feelings.

Sara – My Story

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

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.