Bereavement Professionals’ Insights

Michele – Normalizing conversations around death dying grief and loss

Michele discusses grief literacy, the importance of talking and that dying is a part of life

Janice – “Go into feelings”

Janice explains how important it is to pay attention to your feelings.

Janice – “Risks”

Janice talks about risks in behaviour and progress.

Janice – “Crying”

Janice explains how crying helps physically and emotionally.

Jacqueline – My Story

Jacqueline talks about getting through the feelings after her mother’s death

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.

Maureen – “Grief is a messy non-linear place”

Maureen explains how you wind your way through grief and that is normal.

Rev. Sky – “Yearning”

Rev. Sky discusses yearning and how it’s OK to feel those emotions.

Marija – Acknowledging feelings

Marija talks about our tools for coping

Christian – “When people say dumb things”

Christian explains how he deals with people who say dumb things.

Jeff K – “What is grief”

Jeff discusses the many aspects of grief and how we are all connected. Jeff continues to grieve the death of his mother.

Cara – Intellectual disabilities, sharing and expressing about grief

Cara discusses how it’s very important that people living with intellectual disabilities have the opportunity to not only know about the information about the person being ill and dying and having the choice and opportunity to go to after death rituals. It’s also really important that they get the opportunity to share their story in whatever way they communicate. This can be verbally through sign language, through communication books, art, music, going for walks, being in nature