Bereavement Professionals’ Insights

Shannon – Hope for Healing

Shannon shares about losing her husband to suicide, her parents and her father-in-law. She felt broken and to be able to take care of her kids and her self seemed overwhelming. It took someone telling her that you can heal from trauma to give her hope for healing.

Grief and Disability: Carrie’s Story

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.

Cara – Grief and intellectual disabilities is a topic that needs to “get out there”

Cara shares some information from a participant in her research on intellectual disabilities and the bereaved. A person with an intellectual disability said… “Grief: It’s a topic that needs to get out there” Grief is something that so many people are hesitant to talk about, to display, to show, because there’s so many social rules around how we grieve. This is particularily challenging for the intellectually disabled.

Marija – Types of Loss in a Pandemic

Marija explains how all of the losses we experience during a pandemic are compounded

Maureen – “Grief can change the landscape of your relationships”

Maureen discusses how relationships can be challenged by grief.

Madelyn – Accept what you are feeling

Madelyn talks about how it’s ok to not be ok.

Jen – “Grief yoga”

Jen talks about how yoga may be beneficial.

Donna – “Helping a grieving friend”

Donna shares some practical ways to help someone in grief.

Professional Insights Playlist

Listen to the thoughts and insights of professionals helping people and families to cope with grief.

Jacqueline – Humour

Jacqueline talks about how huour has a place in grieving

Alongside

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.

Jean – My own grief and being a professional counsellor

Jean shares about being a counselor and going through her own grief