Bereavement Professionals’ Insights

Janice – “Photographs”

Janice explains how photographs can be a doorway to help move forward.

Janice – “Let the feelings come up”

Janice talks about how it can help to let the feelings come up.

Chantal – My Story

Chantal discusses finding a release in doing a graphic novel to explore her grief as a thesis in art therapy school

Shannon – Power of Presence

Shannon discusses how just showing up, being present is a powerful way of supporting to someone who has lost. Listen more – talk less.

Christian – “Grief in the opioid crisis”

Christian talks about looking for answers in great sadness.

Rev. Sky – “Helping a friend”

Rev. Sky discusses the grief motto 80% listening, 20% talking and how to help someone in grief.

Jenn – Art can give voice

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.

Kristal – Attending Memorials as a Support Worker

Kristal discusses the importance of finding ways to honour people that have been lost and how they have impacted you. She speaks to how she often chooses not to attend public memorials for those she has lost as a support worker as they are often very overwhelming. Instead, she has her own personal rituals or ways of honouring those she has lost personally including opening a window. She discusses how this practice was used when she worked in palliative care.

Claudia – Art and coping with grief and loss

Claudia talk about how art is especially beneficial for someone coping with grief and loss

Chantal – Physical symptoms and grieving

Chantal talks about panic attacks and thinking she was having a heart attack

Sara – Music and celebration of life

Sara explains how music can play an importand and significant role in celebrations of life.

Collective Grief

When the death of a person affects many members in a community, city, country, or across the world, people will experience collective grief.

These are some things that can help people through the experience of collective grief across a community.