the importance of grief and grieving, and why we get it wrong most of the time, with Leslie Barber
Host: Brenda Zane, brenda@brendazane.com
Instagram: @the.stream.community
The Stream Community: a modern, digital respite (not on Facebook) for moms of kids experimenting with or addicted to drugs or alcohol, in treatment, or early recovery
Free ebook: “HINDSIGHT: 3 Things I Wish I Knew When My Son Was Misusing Drugs, by Brenda Zane. Download here
Guest: Leslie Barber, Grief Warrior
Show Resources:
Leslie’s website: www.agriefwarrior.com
What to say when someone dies - blog post
Pauline Boss website, Ambiguous Loss
Pauline Boss’s podcast interview on On Being: Navigating Loss Without Closure
Heartfelt Sympathy Gifts - gift boxes for those who are grieving
SPEAKERS
Brenda Zane, Leslie Barber, Grief Warrior (www.agriefwarrior.com)
Episode topics: parenting, teens, mental health, substance use, addiction, grief, loss, healing, hope
Show Transcript:
5:50 Leslie's background and journey to starting A Grief Warrior
8:58 grief in the workplace & Leslie's passion for it
9:58 opening a conversation about grief in our culture
11:09 the definition of grief and why it doesn't always mean physical death
14:41 various kinds of grief including kids and treatment
17:29 what are some ways we can be sensitive to someone who is grieving?
21:46 wanting to make everything ok for our kids - where does their own grief fit in?
24:52 sadness is treated with "I see your sadness, your sadness makes sense"
26:38 what is ambiguous and anticipatory grief…common experiences for parents who have kids struggling with substance use
31:31 how can parents navigate through the grief of having a child in addiction?
35:29 navigating the delicate situations around someone's grief
41:39 how to respond to the insensitive things people say when you've experienced a loss
49:37 self-care for someone who's experiencing grief or works in a heavy field like Leslie
51:53 helping a friend or loved one who's grieving by "getting in their dark" with them
54:02 practicalities of getting through the day when you're experiencing deep grief
55:29 Leslie's word of encouragement and hope for parents
57:42 wrap up and resources for parents
Thank you so much for listening. You might want to download a free ebook I wrote called Hindsight: Three Things I Wish I Knew When My Son Was Misusing Drugs. It's full of the information I wish I would have known when my son was struggling with his addiction. You can grab that at BrendaZane.com/hindsight. Thanks again for listening and I will meet you right back here next week.
If you’d like to receive my weekly email please go to www.brendazane.com/email and then watch your inbox each Wednesday for a special note from me.