Bereavement Professionals’ Insights

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.

Jenn – Barriers to art

Jenn talks about the barriers that may prevent someone from including art as part of their grief or emotional process including judgment of your art skills and more.

Jenn – Art can give a break from grieving

Jenn talks about one of the most overlooked benefits of making art during bereavement. It can provide and escape from your grief.

Caileigh – Through play children learn so much about their grief

Caileigh discussed how children learn so much about their grief through play. There’s less confusion, there’s less anxiety, there’s more awareness. For the child and the parent, there is more acceptance of grief.

Donna – “Living with grief”

Donna talks about the threads of grief and her personal experience.

Maureen – “Pregnancy and infant loss”

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

Maureen – “Group therapy vs individual therapy”

Maureen talks about what kind of counselling may work for you.

Marija – The wilderness of grief

Marija discussed acknowedging all aspects of grief and living with grief.

Marija – Acknowledging feelings

Marija talks about our tools for coping

Jessica M – Finding Hope

Jessica shares memories of her brothers birthday which was just before her mothers death and how they all found hope

Cara – People with intellectual disabilities need to be recognized and honoured in their grief

Cara talks about grievers living with intellectual disabilities and that it’s not about those of us who are neuro-typical, giving them a voice or providing them or saying things for them. Rather, it’s that they already have a voice. They already have these experiences and they want them to be recognized, acknowledged and honoured.

Keith – “We need one another”

Keith talks about the importance of story, understanding our journey and how we are connected.