Shapes Of Grief

The official launch of Shapes Of Grief was a truly powerful evening, last Thursday, March 31st 2022.  Branwen Kavanagh opened and closed the event with her beautiful music.  Introduction was given by Liz Gleeson, who shared a personal story of loss and then talked about the many Shapes Of Grief. Ruth Fitzmaurice read three pieces, including from her book 'I found my tribe', about her gri...

We know that grief never really goes away, we learn to live with it and accommodate it in our lives. For some people, about 5-10%,  their grief can remain very intense and cause major disruption in their lives for a prolonged period of time; years and even decades. It is normal for grief to endure for years, but when it is debilitating and people find it impossible to readjust to the world af...

A very insightful conversation with Linda Allen about her grief following her son’s death by suicide. We explore the physicality of grief, the importance of connection in grief, as well as moments of choice we may have in the grieving process. Article written by Linda https://www.alustforlife.com/voice/personal-stories/see-you-in-two-minutes-ma-a-mother-writes-her-story-of-losing-her-son-to-suicid...

Deena Goldstein talks about her father's dying process, death and how writing about her grief helped her through. #dying #death #bereavement #hospice #deathprocess #whatisdying #oklittlebird #deenagoldstein About Shapes of Grief: Shapes of Grief is an internationally recognized organization dedicated to enhancing competency around loss, grief and bereavement literacy. Curated by Psychotherapist an...

By the age of 15, Tahseen Rizvi had lost both her parents and was sent to live with relatives in another country, another continent, another culture. What followed was another series of significant losses which would negatively affect every relationship Tahseen would enter, including with her children. This is her story of loss and reconstructing her life as she gained more insight in adulthood. #...

I often hear grieving people describe their experience of grief 'like a tsunami' that just washes over them. This week's guest, Clemmie Clough, experienced the devastation first-hand of the 2004 tsunami when she was just a child. It was an event that would rob her of her mother and change the trajectory of her life. Clemmie talks about how the trauma of that event has stayed with her and how, as a...

A tender episode from D Anaya about the sudden death of her little daughter Phoebe and how difficult it was for her to find grief support as a black woman in a predominantly white community. We also talk about sex after loss and the strain on a married couple when a child dies. #parentalloss #grief #bereavement  About Shapes of Grief: Shapes of Grief is an internationally recognized organizat...

There's often nothing more helpful to those who are suffering than an open and frank conversation from someone who has survived the abyss of depression, addiction or grief. I loved talking to Caitriona about the common human struggles of fitting in, not having a sense of belonging, being too identified with our thoughts and the often excruciating road to recovery that requires such committment and...

In this episode, we speak with Dr Francis McGivern about his recently published book 'Life after a Partners Suicide Attempt'.   #suicideattempt #survivingasuicideattempt Life After a Partner's Suicide Attempt is the first publication to document in depth the lived experiences of the partners of individuals who have attempted to take their own lives. Although no one has died, the ramifica...

Be in with a chance to win this bundle of ten books, signed by the authors! All you have to do is sign-up to the Shapes of Grief Education Programme during December 2021 to be in with a chance to own this bundle of ten grief books. Use code griefawareness20 for 20% discount during Grief Awareness Week 2021, 2-9th December #griefawareness2021 About Shapes of Grief: Shapes of Grief is an internation...

The experience of grief within the lgbtq+ community can be profoundly painful as a result of past losses connected to sexuality. This can be experienced as bereavement (the AIDS crisis), stigmatisation, marginalisation, tacit acceptance from family & community, outright homophobia or erasure by parents or other family members. Many young Irish people left Ireland in the 1980s and 1990s to find...

I'm so grateful to Rach Underhill for this really tender and beautiful episode. It's coming up to two years since Rach's beloved wife Kris died from terminal cancer. Rach takes us through the love story, to Kris' diagnosis and eventual death. The love and grief that Rach experienced from firstly meeting Kris, then losing Kris, are palpable. I think it's perhaps the depth of love and the depth of g...

Dr Vanessa Lacey recently finished her PhD studies on the grief experienced by older transgender women and their families. In this episode, Vanessa talks about her personal experience of loss, what her research uncovered and how she has cultivated an impressive 'live and let live' attitude, despite various attempts to alienate her from her family and hometown. This is a heartwarming conversation a...

Stephen Teap became a young widower when his wife Irene died of cervical cancer, leaving him to parent two young boys age 2 and 4 alone. In this conversation, Stephen talks about the hope, the denial and the devastation of living with terminal cancer and how grief following Irene's death has been for him and his young boys, Oscar and Noah. #grief #bereavement #cervicalscandal #widowhood #singledad...

Dr Nyasha Grayman speaks to Liz about the premature birth of her sons, navigating a white healthcare system and the death of one of her twins. We talk about why 'nice' therapists need more grief & trauma training and why more black psychologists are needed in America.   For a comprehensive grief education, go to www.shapseofgrief.com and sign-up today.  #grief #bereavement #blackgrie...

In January 2020, Andrew McGinley's three children Carla, Darragh and Conor died suddenly and tragically in their home. Following trial, their mother was found not guilty of murder for reason of insanity. In this conversation, Andrew talks about his love for his three children, how he continues his bonds with them through fulfilling promises that he made to them, and the urgent need for mental heal...

Kristine Carlson and her husband Richard Carlson, author of 'Don't Sweat the Small Stuff', which was No 1 on the New York Times Best Seller list for 100 consecutive weeks, were enjoying their success when tragedy struck. Richard died suddenly and unexpectedly while on a flight to New York. In this conversation, Kristine talks to Liz about how life changed after Richard's death and how she used his...

A rich, rich conversation with the wonderful Caoimhe Butterly about how she has navigated grief through many years of activism and advocacy work and how, as both humans and psychotherapists, we can adequately meet people who are experiencing profound suffering and loss in their lives.  #advocacy #activism #humanitarianwork About Shapes of Grief: Shapes of Grief is an internationally recognize...

Ep. 69 Meghann Scully talks to Liz about her brother's death when they were teenagers, followed by her father's death a year later. Meghann shares how her grief affected her and how unexpressed grief caught up with her in her twenties through addiction.  Podcast is available on all podcasting platforms and on www.shapesofgrief.com.  #grief #bereavement #griefeducation #meghannnscully #si...

Have you ever wondered how you would respond to receiving a terminal diagnosis? In this conversation with Clair, we talk about dying, living, available choices when living with a terminal illness and the 'battle' language that often accompanies cancer. Clair is refreshingly honest and a breath of fresh air.  Clair's website https://www.dyingwell.uk "As someone living with a stage 4 cancer dia...

Hi Everyone, I took a little break from the podcast to accompany my lovely Dad on his final weeks on planet earth. After he died, I launched myself into completing a project that I've been curating for the past few months, an online Grief Education Programme for Healthcare Providers and Mental Health practitioners. This episode is an introduction to the programme, I hope you'll sign-up and please...

Sarah’s first major loss happened when she was just twelve weeks old and her adoring mother Mags died as a result of an asthma attack. Sarah’s Dad raised her and her brother until he died tragically when Sarah was just eight years old. What followed next were several weeks of confusion and trauma before Sarah and her brother were put into the safe arms of their aunt and uncle, and travelled to the...

A conversation with Lord Mayor of Dublin Hazel Chu on Racism, Discrimination and Grief.  #grief #racism #discrimination  About Shapes of Grief: Shapes of Grief is an internationally recognized organization dedicated to enhancing competency around loss, grief and bereavement literacy. Curated by Psychotherapist and grief specialist Liz Gleeson, Shapes of Grief equips individuals with the...

An outdoor horse girl, the bereavement group in a dingy basement just didn't work for Adrienne Freeland after her brother died by suicide. Seeing a problem that needed fixing, Adrienne contacted her local hospice to talk about setting up an alternative kind of bereavement group; in her barn with the horses. In this episode, Adrienne explains some of the ways in which the people she supports find h...

In 2019, Carrie Thompson's worst nightmare came true when her beautiful son Ben died by suicide. In December 2020, Carrie had an article published in the New York Times that documented her journey through the NH48 - the 48 highest peaks of New Hampshire, a challenge she set herself to pay homage to her son who adored the outdoors. Carrie shares some of her grief experience with Liz in this moving...