Bereavement Professionals’ Insights

Left Out: Enfranchising Children’s Grief and Loss

By: Jessica Milette, MSW, RSW All human beings have the capacity to grieve: people with intellectual disabilities, those living with a traumatic brain injury, and children of all ages. However, many people can experience disenfranchised grief when someone dies. Disenfranchised grief is generally grief that is not usually openly acknowledged, socially accepted or publicly mourned.…

Madelyn – Advice to younger self

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

Children’s Grief and Loss Toolkit (ages 6-12) [FREE Downloadable PDF]

Grief is a natural experience, and is considered one of the most stressful life events a person can experience. 1 in 14 children under the age of 18 will experience the death of someone close to them. Every year, approximately 200 000 children are grieving the death of someone in their extended family or community.…

Maureen – “Trust yourself”

Maureen talks about finding your own way in your healing process.

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…

Sara – Lyrics

Sara talks about how lyrics can have an impact on how we experience music

Donna – “Grief in conversation”

Donna discusses language and talking about grief.

Janice – “Grief is a response to loss”

Janice discusses waves of grief and how important it is to go with it.

Jenn – Art can be grounding and meditative

Jenn explains how the textures , qualities and colours of art can be grounding and meditative

Jen – “Breathing and grief”

Jen talks about how breathing and yoga can help cope.

Keith – “Difference between grief and mourning”

Keith explains how grief is internal and mourning is external.

Janice – “Being triggered”

Janice discusses triggering, overreacting, under-reacting, and taking responsibility for the size of our feelings.