Bereavement Professionals’ Insights

Kristal – Attending Memorials as a Support Worker

Kristal discusses the importance of finding ways to honour people that have been lost and how they have impacted you. She speaks to how she often chooses not to attend public memorials for those she has lost as a support worker as they are often very overwhelming. Instead, she has her own personal rituals or ways of honouring those she has lost personally including opening a window. She discusses how this practice was used when she worked in palliative care.

Maureen – Preparing for holidays

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

Shannon – Enough

Shannon talks about us all doing the very best we can from the perspectives of a licensed clinical counselor and losing her husband to suicide.

Rev. Sky – “Grief is a journey”

Rev. Sky talks about her personal loss and the positive changes that happen as we journey through grief.

Madelyn – Advice to younger self

Madelyn discusses how having feelings is a gift and you can work through tough ones. There is hope.

Madelyn – Grieving process as a 2nd generation Canadian

Madelyn talks about being a 2nd generation Canadian, some things she has learend working in palliative care as a music therapist

Amanda – “Reach out”

Amanda discusses the importance of connecting with others.

Donna – “Helping a grieving friend”

Donna shares some practical ways to help someone in grief.

Michele – Covid and support

Michele defines expressive arts and how they can help healing in griefMIchele talks about COVID restrictions, technology and ways to support

Tending to My Garden of Grief

So long as I remember the lives of those I have lost, honour their presence and impact on me and celebrate their spirit, they will continue to live with me and the pain will feel bearable. It will no longer stop me in my tracks. Instead, it will encourage me and propel me forward through the transmutation of that grief into something different, something more nuanced and fluid. I’d like to share a practice for processing grief which I have found to be especially helpful.

Jacqueline – Where to store art works

Jacqueline explains how art can be like journal entries that you would keep private

Adrianna – Death doulas and grief

Adrianna explains what a death doula is