Bereavement Professionals’ Insights

Maureen – “Peer vs professional support”

Maureen talks about getting help and what is right for you.

Maureen – “Our 20th Anniversary”

Maureen talks about she dealt with her miscarriages and how she felt after 20 years.

Amanda – “Reach out”

Amanda discusses the importance of connecting with others.

Madelyn – Accept what you are feeling

Madelyn talks about how it’s ok to not be ok.

Claudia – Defining an art therapist

Claudia talks about art therapy as a form of psycho therapy

Keith – “Knowing what to say”

Keith gives practical advice about helping someone in grief.

Janice- “Stay with feelings”

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

Rev. Sky – “What is grief?”

Rev. Sky talks about the universality of grief and how people grieve differently.

Christian – “Stigma of opioid death”

Christian talks about the social acceptance of an opioid overdose.

Madelyn – Holding space

Madelyn explains how holding space can help anyone in grief

Madelyn – My story

Madelyn tells her story and how she became a music therapist working in palliative care

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.