Bereavement Professionals’ Insights

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.

Jean – What grief feels like physically

Jean discusses the physical effects she has experienced in grief

Janice – “Being triggered”

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

Sara – Music and grief

Sara discusses how music can connect and help by acknowledging grief and bringing comfort

Sara – My Story

Sara talks about why she became a music therapist, espression and connecting to feelings

Madelyn – Advice to younger self

Madelyn discusses how having feelings is a gift and you can work through tough ones. There is hope.

Madelyn – The power of music

Madelyn – discusses the potency of music and processing good and bad memories

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.

Michele – Covid and virtual support

MIchele discuss support and how COVID has affected our grief in so many waysort

Amanda – “Reach out”

Amanda discusses the importance of connecting with others.

Cheryl – “My story” short version

Cheryl talks about her daughter’s organ donations.

Jessica M – My Story

Jessica talks about losing her grandfather at 14 when her mother was terminal, her mother and aunt died when she was 15. She felt alone until she found a peer support group