The holidays are a time for connecting with family and counting our blessings but this can also be a challenging time of year for those grieving the loss of a loved one.

Heidi talks with Becky A. Benson about the loss of her daughter and how she is using her own personal experience to help others who are grieving.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How to support: Grief doesn’t need a hero it just needs a friend. Understanding some situations can’t be ‘fixed’. There is power in simply being with someone else. Your silent presence is worth much more than empty words. Bearing witness to someone’s struggle is doing heart work, and heart work can be hard work.
• What Not to Say: Refrain from platitudes (they are in a better place, at least they are not suffering anymore) and distance-seeking words (I can not imagine) and offer acknowledgment of the weight of the situation to validate their feelings.
• Connection as Time Passes Grief does not follow a prescribed timeline for anyone.
• Grief that is Healthy and Grief that is Not: Loss of sense of self, heightened emotions, memory issues (and much more) are all perfectly normal in grief. As time moves on if these things seem not to be lessening or you find yourself being further removed from society, including family and friends, you may be stuck in your grief, and not processing.

About Becky:

Becky A Benson's work has appeared on Modern Loss, Modern Mom, The Manifest Station, Scary Mommy, Grief Narratives, Months to Years Lit Mag and has been syndicated on both Salon and Brain Child. She has written and spoken for the Center for Jewish Genetics in Chicago, and Soulumination in Seattle, and appeared on podcasts, webinars, and television.

She holds a degree in psychology and works for the National Tay-Sachs and Allied Diseases Association as the organization's Family Services Manager. Her passion is for helping families endure the loss of a child, spreading awareness for genetic conditions, advocating for adoption, and providing a voice to the marginalized in society. These things, above all else, continue to intimately shape her writing.

Connect with Becky:

IG: @babensonwritter

www.beckyabenson.com

Connect with Heidi:

IG: @heidisawyercoaching

www.heidisawyercoaching.com