May 12, 2021

Saying Goodbye

52 minutes

“Only in the agony of parting do we look into the depths of love.”

George Eliot

This hour-long show is about the mental health benefits and challenges of saying a good goodbye at the end of life. Through stories, we explore different facets of goodbyes, including why so many of us avoid saying goodbye even in the most life-changing moments. We also discuss how initiating a goodbye conversation can make us more emotionally resilient long-term. We combine compelling storytelling with practical expert guidance to give you the tools you need to start your own difficult conversations.

Tips & Strategies for Saying a Good Goodbye (PDF)

Listen to Stories From the Episode

Safe Space Radio · Saying Goodbye

Resources

From Our Guests

Now You See the Sky

Catharine Murray

Parenting at a Challenging Time Program

Paula K. Rauch MD—Massachusetts General Hospital

Further Reading & Listening

Books

Bearing the Unbearable

Joanne Cacciatore

It’s Okay That You’re Not Okay: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn’t Understand

Megan Devine

Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End

Atul Gawande

When Breath Becomes Air

Paul Kalanithi

Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief

David Kessler

On Grief and Grieving

Elizabeth Kubler-Ross and David Kessler

Hot Young Widow’s Club

Nora McInerny

Talking to Kids About Saying Goodbye

The Invisible String

Patrice Karst

Ida, Always

Caron Levis

The Goodbye Book

Todd Parr

Helping Kids Grieve

Sesame Street in Communities

Help Me Say Goodbye: Activites for Helping Kids Cope

Janis Silverman

Hospice Care & Palliative Care

End of Life Care and Saying Goodbye

Caring.com

Helping a Friend Who Is Dying

Hospice Foundation of America

What to Say to Someone Who’s Very Sick

Hallie Levine—AARP

End of Life Care Guide

Mayo Clinic

Providing Care & Comfort at the End of Life

National Institute on Aging

20 Stats to Know About Hospice in the U.S.

Wesley Life

When You Can’t Be With a Dying Family Member

WYG

Resources Related to COVID-19

We’re Going to See What Else the Word Funeral Can Mean

Jodi Kantor—New York Times

Coronavirus is Changing How We Say Goodbye

Peter Kramer—USA Today

My Dad Has Coronavirus—I Don’t Know if I Should Say Goodbye

Amelia Nierenberg—New York Times

How to Grieve a Loved One When You Can’t Say Goodbye

Lauren Turner & Alice Evans—BBC

Helpful Organizations

Actively Moving Forward (AMF) for Young Adults (18-24)

Caring Matters

Compassionate Friends

Cope Foundation

David Kessler’s Free Online Grief Group

GriefNet

Hospice Foundation of America

MISS Foundation for Grieving Families

National Alliance for Grieving Children

National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO)

Our House Grief Support Center

We’d love to hear from you! If you have a story about saying goodbye—or a comment for one of our guests—please leave us a voicemail at 617-600-8419.

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