Bereavement Professionals’ Insights

Claudia – Working with an art therapist

Claudia how all art making is theraputic and working with an art therapist amplifies the process in a positive way

Corrie – Talking to children about death and dying

Corrie explains how to discuss death and dying with children

Michele – Expressive arts and healing grief

Michele defines expressive arts and how they can help healing in grief

Jenn – Your art completely belongs to you

Jenn explains the wonderful thing about art is that piece belongs completely to you and you have the power to do whatever you wish with it . She makes some suggestions as to what you may want to do.

Keith – “You need not be alone”

Keith discusses getting help, resources and that you don’t need to be alone.

Rev. Sky – “Sharing”

Rev. Sky explains how sharing helps you heal.

Cheryl – “My story” short version

Cheryl talks about her daughter’s organ donations.

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.

Left Out: Enfranchising Children’s Grief and Loss

By: Jessica Milette, MSW, RSW All human beings have the capacity to grieve: people with intellectual disabilities, those living with a traumatic brain injury, and children of all ages. However, many people can experience disenfranchised grief when someone dies. Disenfranchised grief is generally grief that is not usually openly acknowledged, socially accepted or publicly mourned.…

Maureen – “Grief is a messy non-linear place”

Maureen explains how you wind your way through grief and that is normal.

Christian – “Grief can bring new life”

Christian explains where he found hope in grief.

Corrie – We cry because we love

Corrie talks about crying, hurt and love