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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