Bereavement Professionals’ Insights

Janice- “Stay with feelings”

Janice talks about how feelings can be buried and how working through them can help.

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.

Janice – “Being triggered”

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

Christian – “Stigma of opioid death”

Christian talks about the social acceptance of an opioid overdose.

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.

Marija – Acknowledging feelings

Marija talks about our tools for coping

Keith – “Difference between grief and mourning”

Keith explains how grief is internal and mourning is external.

Corrie – Pandemic of grief

Corrie discusses how much grief there is

Claudia – Defining an art therapist

Claudia talks about art therapy as a form of psycho therapy

A Million Other Things: Grieving a Drug Poisoning Death

Sister, father, son, niece, best friend – some of these words might be how you would describe your loved one who has died of an overdose or drug poisoning. People Who Use Drugs (PWUD) are not defined by their substance use – they are a million other things to those who love and miss them dearly. Drug poisoning and overdose deaths are stigmatized in our society. The focus is on how the person died, not who they are. Society still holds onto old notions and beliefs about drugs which come with a value judgment about people who use drugs, which further contributes to stigma. Not everyone who uses drugs is an addict and not all drug use is inherently problematic. People who use drugs deserve dignity and respect when we are remembering and honouring those who have died by overdose or drug poisoning.

Maureen – “Grief can change the landscape of your relationships”

Maureen discusses how relationships can be challenged by grief.

Christian – “Jeff’s Story”

Christian tells Jeff”s story… the good and his struggles.