Bereavement Professionals’ Insights
Claudia – Art therapy and costs
Claudia talks about how people may shy away from art therapy because of costs and how training schools can be an option
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.
Jean – What grief feels like physically
Jean discusses the physical effects she has experienced in grief
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.…
Jacqueline – Digital Story
Jacqueline discusses what a digital story can be and how creatiing one can create positive breakthroughs
Jean – Grief resources and self care
Jean talks about resources that help in processing grief and self care
Jessica M – A Parking Lot Memorial
Jessica shares how her family gathered after her uncle died during COVID and how her family came up with a creative way of getting together in a parking lot.
Claudia – Materials in art therapy
Claudia discusses all of the wonderful options of materials to use in art therapy. Art, markers, clay, pencils, water collours, cutting, tearing. They physical engagment with the materials is like alchemy.
Weathering the Intense Emotions of Grief
Grief often comes with powerful, unpredictable emotional shifts that can be painful to experience. While it’s important to find ways to sit with these feelings, to acknowledge the pain of grief and accept loss, it’s also necessary to find ways to ease and manage the pain. There are several simple activities that you can explore to help.
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.