I Am A Professional

Left Out: Enfranchising Children’s Grief and Loss

August 13, 2025

By: Jessica Milette, MSW, RSW All human beings have the capacity to grieve: people with intellectual disabilities, those living with a traumatic brain injury, and children of all ages. However, many people can experience disenfranchised grief when someone dies. Disenfranchised grief is generally grief that is not usually openly acknowledged, socially accepted or publicly mourned.…

Bereavement Professionals' Insights / Blog Post / Grief and Trauma / I Am A Griever / I Am A Professional / I Am A Supporter / Supporting Others

Jessica M – Grief is unique for each person

June 13, 2023

Jessica discusses our uniquenesses during grief, giving yourself permission to grieve and that there are many ways of self care during grief.

Bereavement Professionals' Insights / I Am A Professional / Video

Kristal – Grieving the Whole Person

April 23, 2023

Kristal discusses the importance of recognizing and grieving the entire person who was lost – not just who they were before they had been using drugs.

Death By Overdose / Drug Poisoning and the Pandemic / I Am A Professional / Video

Kristal – Anger with Grief

April 23, 2023

Kristal discusses finding ways to channel her anger due to poor policy leading to deaths from drug poisoning and those individuals not having the support they needed. She discusses how human beings have the right to be flawed and should have the ability to grow, heal, and change.

Death By Overdose / Drug Poisoning and the Pandemic / I Am A Griever / I Am A Professional / Video

Grief and Disability: Carrie’s Story

September 20, 2022

It has become clear to me over time that we have much work to do to ensure the delivery of disability-sensitive grief literacy and grief support. In March of 2022 my proposal for four 1-hour sessions was approved, we provided the program for 20 participants. My heart was full in each session.

My heart remains full of hope that conversations, education, and expertise about disability sensitive end of life care and grief support will gain momentum as more and more people join in on this vital conversation.

Bereavement Professionals' Insights / Blog Post / Grief and Trauma / I Am A Professional / Supporting Others

Jessica M – Continuing Bonds

June 13, 2023

Jessica talks about the values of continuing bonds and connections with people who are not here anymore. She gives some examples of things that have made her more connected to her Mom.

Death of A Loved One / Death of a Parent / I Am A Griever / I Am A Professional / Video

Christian – COVID amplified the inequities in society

April 23, 2023

Christian talks about those that have very little and how COVID amplified their difficulties

Death and Grief During a Pandemic / Death By Overdose / Drug Poisoning and the Pandemic / I Am A Professional / Video

Alongside

February 8, 2023

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.

Bereavement Professionals' Insights / Blog Post / I Am A Professional / I Am A Supporter / Supporting Others

Caileigh – Wanting to fix a grieving child

February 23, 2023

Caileigh gives advice about the desire to fix, especially to parents who are grieving themselves as well as supporting children who are grieving.

Bereavement Professionals' Insights / I Am A Professional / Supporting Others / Video

Kristal – Poetry, Comedy, & Art for Grieving

April 23, 2023

Kristal discusses using poetry and other forms of creative expression as a distraction from her grief and to disassociate in a safe and productive way. She discusses grief being love with nowhere to go, so she puts it into art.

Art / Death By Overdose / Drug Poisoning and the Pandemic / I Am A Professional / Video

Christian – Grieving those who died of drug poisoning

April 23, 2023

Christian talks about grieving, stigma and dying from drug poisoning

Death and Grief During a Pandemic / Death By Overdose / Drug Poisoning and the Pandemic / I Am A Professional / Video

Caileigh – Parent Capacity

February 23, 2023

Caileigh discusses parent capacity and and how to support their child through their grief is all about inspiring them and empowering them so that they can help their child.

Bereavement Professionals' Insights / I Am A Professional / Supporting Others / Video