Supporting Others

What I know about grief

The following are some things I know to be true about grief for me, based on my lived experience. Some of them may resonate with you as well. Grief is unique to the people experiencing it in each moment, so please take whatever makes sense to you from this share and leave whatever doesn’t.

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.

Adrianna – Pandemic, funerals and celebration of life

Adrianna talks about the death of her friend during pandemic

Amber -Grieving as a teenager

Amber discusses the challenges of going through grief as a teen

Jacqueline – Advice to Younger Self

Jacqueline talks about seeking help and being kind to yourself

Lisa -Advice to grievers

Lisa explains her thoughts about how to help someone in grief

Maureen – “Peer vs professional support”

Maureen talks about getting help and what is right for you.

Lyss – Depression, Anxiety, and Self Harm

Depression, anxiety, self harm, theapy, support, mental health, suicide

John Martin – The Trauma of Loss and Grief

John discusses trauma and grief

Cara – Intellectual disabilities and advance planning

Cara explains that people living with intellectual disabilities are growing to older ages, much like the rest of the population. And as folks are aging what we’re seeing is the need for families more so than ever, to do some advanced planning for who will take over any caregiving decision making or where that person may live, what sort of support they may need and what that’s going to look like after the parents or the guardians die so that this doesn’t become a crisis situation.

Lisa – How to support someone in grief

Lisa shares what was helpful from other people when she was grieving

John Martin – First You Must Realize What Has Happened

John talks about realizing the reality of grief