I Am A Professional
Christian – Denial and grieving
Christian discusses what happens after members of the community die from drug poisoning and how it’s OK for grief to be messy
Christian – Supporting people who may die
Christian talks about going from zero overdoses to 50 in a matter of months and how to help people who may die
Caileigh – Recommendations as a therapist and a griever
Caileigh discussed two recommendations for parents on how to support their child’s grief. as a therapist and a griever. The first is to recognize that being with is far more important than fixing. There’s two pieces to connection. The first being that one of the most important healing aspects to grief is feeling connected to others.
Nicole – Working in Community Outreach
Nicole discusses her work in community outreach and how she has lived experience with addiction and living rough.
Caileigh – Grief and child behaviour
Caileigh explains when a child experiences grief or a traumatic grief experience, there’s often behaviour that comes from that. Grief impacts behaviour. And sometimes it can be outward behaviour and sometimes it can be internalized behaviour. The good news about grief and behaviour is that it can be managed and supported through effective communication, through therapy and through coping strategies.
Caileigh – My own grief and supporting others
Caileigh tells about her own grief and now it has given her a really powerful lens on how to support children going through grief as well. Along with her professional education and training, there is now a different perspective on grief and how that fits in with supporting others.
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…
There One Day and Gone the Next : Art Therapy and Grief
This blog post contains information about using art therapy to process grief, including specific examples.
Kristal – Grieving the Whole Person
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.
Caleigh – Play Therapy
Caileigh explains how play therapy, a form of psychotherapy can help children in grief. It is specifically used when working with children and families and youth because it’s developmentally appropriate. They are never expected to sit down and to talk. And it is through the language of play that they’re able to learn about the confusing feelings of grief. They are able to learn new skills to cope with their grief, and they’re able to go at their own pace.
Grief Literacy and Developmental Disability
Grief literacy has become a popular topic, yet it is a topic that is untapped within the disability community, specifically within the developmental sector. The sector supports and empowers people with a developmental disability and consists of families, their loved ones and service providers.