Every one of us has experienced loss at some point, whether it is the loss of a loved one, a relationship you thought would last forever, a pet, or even a job. Loss is inevitable, and with loss comes grief. Grieving is one of the hardest and quite honestly, most misunderstood parts of life. But here’s the thing, when you find the strength to work through the process, a new more powerful version of yourself emerges. 

On this episode of The Language of Love, I sat down with Barri Leiner Grant. Barri is the Founder of The Memory Circle, an organization that helps those who have lost a loved one through the power of writing. We discuss the healing power of writing and the role it plays in helping us move to the next phase of life. If you’ve lost someone and find yourself mired in the muck of grief, unsure of how to move forward, pick up a pen and pad and listen as Barri shows us how to write your way through it! 

In this episode, we’ll discuss:

Resources and Links

Dr. Laura Berman

Barri Leiner Grant

About Barri Leiner Grant 

Barri Leiner Grant is a certified grief coach (ICF) and founder of The Memory Circle. Born from a desire to make the grief cycle a shared experience, The Memory Circle is a place to gather, remember, and celebrate those we lost and love. As a coach, Barri helps facilitate and explore ways to remember and reflect on loss in both one-on-one sessions and grief support groups. Her passion for helping others share their grief stories became a personal mission when her mother, Ellen Jane died of a brain aneurism in 1993 at just 50 years old. Barri also works with firms of all sizes to develop best practices and policies around bereavement leave and employee grief support.

1. CONNECTING

Automatic writing prompt: 

Get quiet and ask...

What would you have me know? 

Allow the words to pass through you to the page. 

2. DELIGHTS 

Create a journal of delights. Prompted by The Book of Delights by Ross Gay 

At the end of the day, write down 10 things that have delighted you. 

The Book of Delights, by Ross Gay

https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-book-of-delights-essays-ross-gay/12566058?ean=9781616207922

3. Adapted from Julia Cameron’s morning pages. 

MOURNING PAGES

Three long hand pages upon waking. 

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron 

https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-artist-s-way-30th-anniversary-edition-julia-cameron/6665657?ean=9780143129257

4. The Quad Exercise as share by memoirist Dani Shapiro

Divide the paper in four with a big plus sign...

Upper left quadrant. 

Seven things you saw.

Upper right quadrant:

Seven things you did.

Lower left

One thing you heard.

Lower right

And a doodle that represents the day. 

Dani Shapiro’s Slow Motion

https://bookshop.org/p/books/slow-motion-a-memoir-of-a-life-rescued-by-tragedy-dani-shapiro/9024419?ean=9780061826696

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