Bereavement Professionals’ Insights

Maureen – Holiday kindness and grief

Maureen discusses grieving during the holidays and being lifter up by kindness

Michele – My Story

MIchele talks about her multiple losses starting from when she was very young

Rev. Sky – “If you have experienced sudden loss”

Rev. Sky discusses things you can do to help navigate emotions.

Janice – “Not feeling grief when someone dies”

Janice talks about why some people don’t feel grief and what it may mean.

Chantal – Graphic novels and art therapy

Chantal defines what a graphic novel is and how words mix with imagery like a dance

Amanda – “Ministry of Presence”

Amanda discusses how being present with someone can be helpful.

Reflections on Mother’s Day

Mother’s day is a holiday where we show appreciation and care for the maternal roles in our lives. However, this holiday can feel very overwhelming for those of us who are grieving the death of a mother figure, a mother grieving their child, or those of us grieving the loss of not being able to become mothers ourselves.

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.

Jenn – Art can be grounding and meditative

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

Maureen – “Pregnancy and infant loss”

Maureen explains how pregnancy and infant loss is often misunderstood or underestimated.

Amanda – “No person is an island”

Amanda talks about the power of community and the importance of reaching out.

Michael – “A story of loss and longing”

Michael relays a story of a man coping after the loss of his wife.