I Am A Griever

Beauty found at the edges: a portrait of community support

I’d sent a text saying “Hello friends, I’m putting out a call for flowers. I went to public school with Kory, the young man who died in downtown Cobourg this week, and though I hadn’t seen him in recent years, I feel the loss of him on a community level, as I imagine you do, too. Some of Kory’s people are gathering tonight in vigil at the bank where he died, and I’m gathering flowers from those of us who have gardens to share with this grieving community. Do you have some blooms in your garden that you’d be willing to share?”

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

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…

Kate – My story

Kate tells her story of being away when her brother died of an opioid overdose

Angie – Grief and Policing

Angie talks about policing and priorities and the importance of self care

Betsy – Anticipation

Betsy discusses the anticipation of her adopted son dying of cancer and now or her aging parents

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.

Joyce – Walking beside people who are stuggling with addiction

Joyce explains why it so important to help people who are struggling with addiction

Learning from Grief

Grief is weird. Odd start, I know, but that was the sentence I used a lot whenever someone asked me how I was. It was never a constant feeling; it changed day to day. And still does. It’s the full gambit of emotions from sadness to anger to guilt and, though dark, even humour found its way in.

Scott – The importance of processing

Scott discusses having a nervous breakdown and realizing that he hadn’t fully processed the grief he had been through with the loss of his mother and father. He also discusses how music helped him moving forward

Lyss – Chemical Pregnancy and Blighted Ovum

Lyss shares about chemical pregnancy, blighted ovum, abortion pill, miscarriage, and triggers.

Kate – Trust and listening

Kate – explains how having someone you trust is super important so that you can have a space space to go to

John – Foggy Brain

John discusses how difficult it is to concentrate after loss