Grief: How to Cope and Support Someone Grieving - This Complex Life | Lyssna här

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