Bereavement Professionals’ Insights

Amanda – “Listening”

Amanda shares the importance of listening and being comfortable with silence.

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.

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.

Jen – “Releasing grief through yoga”

Jen discusses how some poses can help release stress.

Amanda – “Hospice like home”

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

Christian – “Grief can bring new life”

Christian explains where he found hope in grief.

Jacqueline – Art therapy and grieving women

Jacqueline explains how helping connect to the heart and reslience with art therapy can be very helpful

Caileigh – Through play children learn so much about their grief

Caileigh discussed how children learn so much about their grief through play. There’s less confusion, there’s less anxiety, there’s more awareness. For the child and the parent, there is more acceptance of grief.

Maureen – “Peer vs professional support”

Maureen talks about getting help and what is right for you.

Christian – “Overdose Death”

Christian talks about an overdose death not defining who that person was.

Claudia – Being stuck and art therapy

Claudia discusses remunating how art therapist can help create different positive perspectives

Jacqueline – Where to store art works

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