Grief is one of those feelings we don't talk about very well, even though every single one of us will live through it. In this solo episode I sit with grief in all its forms, from the loss we expect to the loss that knocks us sideways. I talk about what helped me, what I see in the therapy room, and the small practical things that actually make a difference when you're the one grieving or the one trying to support someone who is.
Things Discussed
- The many different types of grief, and why having language for them helps
- Anticipatory grief, and what it's like to slowly lose a grandparent to dementia
- The things people say with the best intentions that quietly make grief harder
- Why two people can lose the same person and grieve like strangers
- Grief bursts, and why a wave of sadness can arrive months or years later
- How to genuinely show up for someone instead of asking them to tell you what they need
- What to do when grief comes out as anger
- Why comparing whose loss is worse misses the point entirely
Timestamps
0:00 Why we don't talk about grief
0:30 The many types of grief
2:20 My first experiences of grief
5:30 Grief and love arrive together
9:30 What not to say to someone grieving
13:00 Practical grievers and feeling grievers
17:40 How to actually show up for someone
22:30 Anticipatory grief
Resources and Links
Inside Social Work: When a Client Dies by Suicide: Reflections for Mental Health Professionals
Work with a therapist
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