Grief and Trauma

Collective Grief

When the death of a person affects many members in a community, city, country, or across the world, people will experience collective grief.

These are some things that can help people through the experience of collective grief across a community.

Bryan – Empathy for others

Bryan talks about how losing his father to gun violence was difficult and how taking things day by day helped him get through many difficult times. Now he wants to help children who are going through something similar to what he did. Things will get better and there is always a light at the end of the tunnel

Brenda and Dale – “Seeking Help”

Brenda and Dale discuss how seeing a counsellor helped them. They continue to grieve the death of their son by suicide.

Finding Your Way Through Hard Feelings Playlist

Listen to the thoughts and insights of people and families living with grief.

Sarah K – Trauma therapy

Sarah explains how she felt broken after her husband’s death to overdose and how grief therapy helped her untangle all the feelings that came from such an unexpected death

Sarah K – Story

Sarah tells the story of her husbands death to a heroin overdose.

When Death Feels like a Thief

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.

Krista – “Educate yourself”

Krista explains what she thinks is the most important thing to do.Krista continues to grieve the death of her son from opioid overdose.

Russell – “My Story”

Russell discusses learning how to deal with the loss of his son.

Rev. Sky – “Youth alert”

Rev. Sky talks about youth and when it’s time to reach out for support.

What Does Grief Support Look Like?

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.

Krista – “The way I dealt with shame”

Krista talks about confronting shame head on. Krista continues to grieve the death of her son from opioid overdose.