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Grief Busting Zine [Downloadable!]

December 23, 2023

This zine is designed by mental health professionals and contains information about grief, different types of grief we may experience, gentle reminders on how to move through grief, as well as tips for those who may be supporting someone in their life who is grieving.

Bereavement Professionals' Insights / Blog Post / Collective/Community Grief / I Am A Griever / I Am A Professional / I Am A Supporter

Jewish Perspectives on Grieving

December 13, 2023

What is Jewish Grieving? All humans can, and should, grieve over loss of life during a conflict. No matter the beginning or the end, all violence ends with grief. Someone’s grandparent, parent, sibling or child will die. That cycle of violence must cease.

Blog Post / Collective/Community Grief

Calls to Care, Calls to Action: Bearing Witness to Global Catastrophic Loss of Life and Traumatic Events

December 6, 2023

We bear witness to stories of mass loss of lives, stories of families in Gaza being forced from their land, loss of culture and traditions, and countless other ways systems of colonization and oppression can contribute to other non-death losses those who are directly affected currently and have historically faced. As we discussed in a previous article, we can also experience collective grief following natural disasters, accidents, international conflict, and acts of violence that have resulted in catastrophic loss of lives.

Bereavement Professionals' Insights / Blog Post / Collective/Community Grief

Suicide Loss Toolkit [Free Downloadable PDF]

November 28, 2024

Approximately 4500 people in Canada die by suicide each year. That is approximately 12 people who die by suicide each day. In 2022, 49,476 Americans died by suicide. That’s 1 death every 11 minutes. On average, 5 people grieve for every death. That leaves over 250,000 people experiencing suicide-related grief and distress. Grief Stories has…

Blog Post / I Am A Griever / I Am A Professional / Suicide / Toolkits

Disenfranchised Grief – When It Feels Like Your Grief Doesn’t Matter

December 8, 2021

Post by Maureen Pollard, MSW, RSW Disenfranchised Grief – When It Feels Like Your Grief Doesn’t Matter Grief that is acknowledged, validated and supported is grief that has access to pathways for healing. There are some losses that don’t receive this attention and respect. Disenfranchised grief is the name for what we experience when a loss is…

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When Death Feels like a Thief

August 24, 2022

In the heart of my grief, at my frailest, all I could see was what was no more. I grieved all that was stolen from me by death; love, security and even my very self. Had I known the value of having every pocket of who I was, picked bare by grief, I would not have fought so hard to hold onto it all.

Blog Post / Death and Grief During a Pandemic / Death By Overdose / Death During Service / Death of A Loved One / Grief and Trauma / I Am A Griever / Living with Dying / Perinatal / Suicide

Infant & Reproductive Loss Toolkit [Free Downloadable PDFs for Individuals and Professionals]

October 2, 2024

Navigating life, death, and loss can be overwhelming. Mental health professionals designed this toolkit for individuals, parents, caregivers, and families navigating perinatal and reproductive loss. Reactions to pregnancy and reproductive loss are as unique as fingerprints. Some can process the experience relatively quickly, while others experience unrelenting pain and grief. We hope that this toolkit…

Bereavement Professionals' Insights / Blog Post / Collective/Community Grief / Death of a Child / I Am A Griever / I Am A Professional / I Am A Supporter / Perinatal / Supporting Others / Toolkits

What Does Grief Support Look Like?

July 20, 2022

When we experience significant, on-going symptoms of grief that interfere with our adjustment to the reality of our loss, it can be time to seek professional help. It can be difficult to know where to find help and what grief support options are available.

Bereavement Professionals' Insights / Blog Post / Death and Grief During a Pandemic / Death By Overdose / Death During Service / Death of A Loved One / Grief and Trauma / Supporting Others

Caring for Someone Who is Grieving

November 24, 2021

Post by Maureen Pollard, MSW, RSW Caring for Someone Who is Grieving When someone you care about is grieving, it can be hard to know what to do. It may be that you haven’t been through a similar experience and you feel unsure what will be helpful. It’s also quite likely that they’ll be unsure what they…

Blog Post

How We Learn to Cope With Grief

September 24, 2020

Post by Maureen Pollard, MSW, RSW How We Learn to Cope With Grief Death inevitably brings grief when the person who died is someone we love. Grief is never easy, even when the death is one that comes in the natural order of life; a loss we were expecting. We learn to cope with grief through experiencing…

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Jessica’s Reflections as an Adult Grieving Child

November 16, 2023

Parents or trusted adults are people children often turn to for support, but my circle of trusted adults was shrinking. My peers were focused on what to wear on civvies day (a day where we didn’t have to wear a uniform), while I was focused on just surviving.

Blog Post / Death of a Grandparent / Death of a Parent / I Am A Griever

The ties that bind; grieving the loss of a sibling

March 3, 2025

When my three brothers and I were growing up and the proverbial hit the fan, Mum would often say, in a bid to keep her brood calm, ‘Well, at least we are all still here.’ She reminded me of this affectionate saying only very recently. I can still recall how I felt as a child…

Blog Post / Death of a Child / Death of a Sibling / I Am A Griever / Supporting Others