I Am A Griever

Angie – Grief and Policing

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

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

Kate – Getting support

Kate talks about how difficult it is to ask for support

Joyce – Using my grief experience to help people

Joyce talks about the positive experiences she has in helping other people in grief

Lyss – Depression, Anxiety, and Self Harm

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

Kate – Time to process

Kate shares about time and processing her grief especially during COVID

Joyce – Being gentle on yourself

Joyce explains the importance of being gentle on yourself in grief as you face guilt and should haves

Scott – Process and lyrics

Scott talks about his process with lyrics and how his song “So far away” was for his mother in law. Find the song at his website www.dotbmusic.ca

A Million Other Things: Grieving a Drug Poisoning Death

Sister, father, son, niece, best friend – some of these words might be how you would describe your loved one who has died of an overdose or drug poisoning. People Who Use Drugs (PWUD) are not defined by their substance use – they are a million other things to those who love and miss them dearly. Drug poisoning and overdose deaths are stigmatized in our society. The focus is on how the person died, not who they are. Society still holds onto old notions and beliefs about drugs which come with a value judgment about people who use drugs, which further contributes to stigma. Not everyone who uses drugs is an addict and not all drug use is inherently problematic. People who use drugs deserve dignity and respect when we are remembering and honouring those who have died by overdose or drug poisoning.

John – Being helpful to someone in grief

John shares his thoughts on how to help someone in grief

Grief, Breastfeeding, and Care

In this essay, I share a bit about my story of grief and breastfeeding. I also share some thoughts about the cultural grief some people are carrying about the lack of support afforded to lactating families whose goal it is to feed their baby from their body. I use some gendered language throughout this essay…

Jim – Police culture and grief

Jim talks about how grief is a natural part of life, but it can be especially difficult to deal with when you’re in the police culture. There’s a lot of pressure to bottle up your emotions and not show weakness, but that’s not healthy. It’s important to find healthy ways to cope with your grief, whether it’s talking to a therapist, joining a support group, or simply spending time with loved ones. You’re not alone, and there are people who care about you and want to help.