Bereavement Professionals’ Insights
Maureen – “Peer vs professional support”
Maureen talks about getting help and what is right for you.
Chantal – Physical symptoms and grieving
Chantal talks about panic attacks and thinking she was having a heart attack
Maureen – Holiday Traditions
Maureen talks about anticipating a holiday and considering honouring a loved one
Jenn – What an art therapist can show us about processing grief
Jenn talks about how art can give a form to grief. It can give it shape and texture so it can be seen when it is often so invisible. It can also be messy which so like our grief experience
Madelyn – Advice to younger self
Madelyn discusses how having feelings is a gift and you can work through tough ones. There is hope.
Thoughts About Grief Counselling Playlist
Listen to the thoughts and insights of people and families living with grief.
Madelyn – Grieving process as a 2nd generation Canadian
Madelyn talks about being a 2nd generation Canadian, some things she has learend working in palliative care as a music therapist
Cara – Intellectual disabilities, sharing and expressing about grief
Cara discusses how it’s very important that people living with intellectual disabilities have the opportunity to not only know about the information about the person being ill and dying and having the choice and opportunity to go to after death rituals. It’s also really important that they get the opportunity to share their story in whatever way they communicate. This can be verbally through sign language, through communication books, art, music, going for walks, being in nature
Janice – “Being triggered”
Janice discusses triggering, overreacting, under-reacting, and taking responsibility for the size of our feelings.
Cara – Intellectual disabilities and advance planning
Cara explains that people living with intellectual disabilities are growing to older ages, much like the rest of the population. And as folks are aging what we’re seeing is the need for families more so than ever, to do some advanced planning for who will take over any caregiving decision making or where that person may live, what sort of support they may need and what that’s going to look like after the parents or the guardians die so that this doesn’t become a crisis situation.
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.