Bereavement Professionals’ Insights

Keith – “How can you help”

Keith explains that by imagining being in someone’s position can show you practical ways of helping them.

Maureen – “Grief can come back”

Maureen explains however grief comes back, you are OK.

Corrie – Grief is like a rollercoaster

Corrie talks about grief over time

Maureen – Preparing for holidays

Maureen gives some ideas to help during holidays like connecting and taking time out

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.

Rev. Sky – “It’s OK to cry”

Rev. Sky talks about loss due to gun violence, that it’s OK to cry and finding an outlet.

Amanda – “Hospice like home”

Amanda discusses the value of feeling like being at home during palliative care.

Rev. Sky – “It gets easier”

Rev. Sky talks about time and allowing emotion.

Keith – “Timeframe for grief”

Keith explains it is never too late to grieve and there is no timeline.

Shannon – Losing is a life skill

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.

Rev. Sky – “Feeling stuck”

Rev. Sky describes being stuck and shifting.

Amanda – “Hospice”

Amanda talks about the comfort zone in palliative care.