Bereavement Professionals’ Insights

Sara – Music at the end of life

Sara talks about the values of music at the end of life

Alongside

That is also our best, and only role, when supporting a person with a developmental disability to grieve. We must be the one that comes alongside. There is no closer place we can get to. We must be present, be with, perhaps not understanding or comprehending what the person we support is experiencing, but alongside them nonetheless. We must be there, ready to provide whatever we can discover of their unique need in grief.

Jessica M – My Story

Jessica talks about losing her grandfather at 14 when her mother was terminal, her mother and aunt died when she was 15. She felt alone until she found a peer support group

Janice – “Grieving as long as you need to grieve”

Janice talks about her personal grief experiences and understanding the need for grieving as long as you need to.

Amanda – “Listening”

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

Chantal – You don’t have to be an artist to take part in art therapy

Chantal explains that you don’t have to be an artist to participate in art therapy and acutally if you have less art experience you will enjoy it more.

Maureen – “Our first miscarriage”

Maureen shares insights about her miscarriages.

Jacqueline – Digital Story

Jacqueline discusses what a digital story can be and how creatiing one can create positive breakthroughs

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 – “Feeling stuck”

Rev. Sky describes being stuck and shifting.

Shannon – Guilt vs Shame

Shannon talks about guilt can be a part of the grieving process but shame has to do with “is there something wrong with me”

Chantal – Anticipatory grief

Chantal defines antipatory grief and the grief before the physical loss