Shapes Of Grief

An extraordinary story of navigating multiple losses in a short space of time and how Autumn consciously chose to allow herself to experience joy again, in the face of bereavement overload, trauma and unmeasurable tragedy. #Parentalloss, #bereavementoverload, #organdonation #boldlyintothedarkness 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 tools and expertise necessary for understanding and supporting the complex needs of the bereaved, or people grieving any type of loss. With a curriculum that has been meticulously developed to include the most comprehensive evidence-based material available, Shapes Of Grief stands out as the only program to feature contributions from international grief experts. The award-winning online programme offers different levels of training to accurately meet th

Juliet Rosenfeld had been married to Andrew just 7 months when her beloved husband died of cancer. Five years on, Juliet has published a poignant memoir of their journey together with a cancer diagnosis, the strategies that Andrew employed to deal with his illness and how his death, despite his serious diagnosis, still came as a shock. We talk about the denial in both Andrew’s illness and also the ambiguity from the medics and what that meant to Juliet and her experience of grief. The book is available online https://www.theportobellobookshop.com/science-tech/state-of-disbelief-a-story-of-death-love-and-forgetting-juliet-rosenfeld #grief #bereavement #julietrosenfeld #thestateofdisbelief 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 tools and expertise necessary for understanding and suppor

Three years after her world stopped turning when her family were hit by a sudden and traumatic loss, Niamh Fitzpatrick has written a raw and tender memoir of her experience of grief, following the death of her sister and also the more silent losses of an IVF journey and the end of her marriage.  This book and indeed this conversation, are a veritable gift to the listeners and readers, as Niamh takes us through an authentic, vulnerable and profoundly courageous account of her experience of grief, from an intellectual, emotional and physical perspective. I got so much out of Niamh’s book and was deeply touched by our time together, I hope you benefit from this conversation too. #tellmethetruthaboutloss #captaindarafitzpatrick #rescue116 #grief #bereavement #griefpodcast #niamhfitzpatrick 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 Gleeso

Local Greystones Councellor, Dr. Mags Crean, speaks to Liz about the death of her parents, just a few weeks apart and how the birth of her first child in the middle of these losses contributed to her delayed grief. We talk about how unexpressed grief can build up and, in Mags' case, cause unbearable panic and anxiety.  Liz and Mags talk about the economics of grief and how difficult it can be for those in lower socio-economic classes to access grief support and why now, this needs to be addressed. As always, a tender and intimate conversation, please do share! #grief #bereavement #delayedgrief #anxiety #prolongedgrief #complicatedgrief 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 tools and expertise necessary for understanding and supporting the complex needs of the bereaved, or peopl

Dr Mekel Harris, Clinical Psychologist, speaks about her tremendous grief following the death of her mother who was also her best friend. Liz and Mekel draw comparisons between our individual losses experienced around the time of bereavement and the collective loss following the death of George Floyd, a brutal death that has left the world reeling and crying out for change. Mekel discusses the ongoing grief of racism, injustice and marginalisation and how white allies can help. The first thirty minutes cover Makel’s personal bereavement and the latter half of the episode explores the collective grief experienced by People of colour for centuries. Please do share this episode far and wide. #grief #bereavement #blacklivesmatter #georgefloyd #antiracist 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 wit

So privileged to be joined again, for the third time, by Dr. Kathryn Mannix, Palliative Doctor and author of the bestselling book 'With the End in Mind".  Kathryn talks about how dying and death have changed as a result of Covid19, demystifying what is happening in our hospitals and what families need to know about how their loved ones may be cared for.  She takes us through how a death due to Covid may pan out and what we can expect or look out for if we are providing palliative care in the community. A must-listen for anyone touched by Covid19 including healthcare providers, Dr. Mannix talks about some of the strategies used by healthcare staff to break the barriers potentially caused by PPE gear and social distancing.  Big thanks to Kathryn for so generously sharing her wisdom with so many and making a difference in how we approach tender conversations relating to dying and death.  #dyingincovid19 #death #dyingprocess #drkathrynmannix #withtheendinmind #grief #griefpodcast #applepodcast

What a rich conversation this was, speaking to Katrina Taee and Wendelien McNicoll about their personal experiences of loss, their work with the dying and the bereaved, through to the recent launch of their very valuable book 'Surving the Tsunami of Grief'.  Between them, Katrina and Wendelien have a wealth of personal experience of loss as well as a very palpable passion for being of service to those who are dying and those who are grieving. We speak about euthanasia, sibling grief and how grief can strike at any time, no matter how long after the loss. I had such a rich morning with these women, I hope you can feel as equally moved by them through this conversation. #grief #bereavement #griefbooks #survivingthetsunamiofgrief  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 tools a

Ger and Liz talk about how it is to be living in such unprecedented times and how being with the unknown can bring us to places that we usually don’t stop to face when in the usual busyness of life. We draw parallels between the collective grief that is in the air and the personal experience of loss through death. There are more questions here than answers, but our conversation may mirror some of what you have been wondering, thinking, raging against and feeling hopeful for, over these past few weeks. #grief #bereavement #covid19 #coronavirus #isolation #anxiety #rumi #poetryincrisis  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 tools and expertise necessary for understanding and supporting the complex needs of the bereaved, or people grieving any type of loss. With a curriculum that

When we are grieving, it is often as if the whole world has turned upside down and we need to navigate our new reality on very shaky ground. The pandemic Covid 19 that we are now living through will elicit feelings of grief and anxiety for many of us as we try to understand and process our new reality and find stability amongst the chaos. In this episode, Liz describes what can happen in our bodies in times of stress and how we can best take care of ourselves during these uncertain times.  #grief #anxiety #covid19 #selfcompassion #vagusnerve #stressrelief 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 tools and expertise necessary for understanding and supporting the complex needs of the bereaved, or people grieving any type of loss. With a curriculum that has been meticulously develope

Having coffee with a friend today, we commented on how we all have our stories, we all have our 'stuff'. This isn't always apparent when we look at each other. For those watching Nicola Crean complete her first Iron 'Man' in Cork last year, it would not have been obvious what hurdles she had overcome in the previous few years and how running had become her way of staying sane as the life she knew unravelled around her. In this honest and down-to-earth conversation, Nicola describes a very relatable account of meeting a partner, starting a home and family, the mental health issues that would stop them all in their tracks and force Nicola to start again, from scratch, raising two bereaved children alone.  This episode deals with suicide. If you are affected by any of the issues in this podcast, here are some contact details that may be supportive: https://www.pieta.ie https://www.samaritans.org/ireland/samaritans-ireland/ About Shapes of Grief: Shapes of Grief is an internationally recognized organization

This was a really interesting talk with Jimmy Edmonds, award-winning filmmaker and bereaved father, on what his grief is like for him and how being creative helped him to find expression for his grief. Along with his wife Jane, Jimmy Produced and Directed the beautiful documentary 'A Love that Never Dies' - which documents life after their son's death as well as the grief journeys of several other bereaved parents.  Jimmy and Jane set up The Good Grief Project in the UK and have produced several short films on grief, check out their website on https://thegoodgriefproject.co.uk and download A Love that Never Dies on Vimeo. #grief #goodgrief #thegoodgriefproject #bereavement #alovethatneverdies #parentalbereavement #janeharris #jimmyedmonds #lizgleeson #shapesofgrief #griefpodcast #bestgriefpodcast 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

In December 2019, a letter was published in the Irish Times from a grieving mother outlining how Christmas no longer held any meaning for her now that all of her three children had died. Beautifully crafted and containing an anguish barely imaginable to most of us, the letter soon went viral on social media and touched the hearts of people around the world. I had the immense privilege of talking to Kathleen, the author of the letter, about the full story behind the letter and get to know more about her three children Grainne, Darragh and Fergal who had all died from Cystic Fibrosis and how these deaths have impacted Kathleen. Understandably, it is an emotive and tender conversation, very raw at times and equally full of human strength and courage. #grief #parentalbereavement #whenchildrendie #kathleenkeyes #irishtimes #ryantubridy #latelateshow

In this episode, Liz talks to Kate Gunn, author of 'Untying the Knot - how to consciously uncouple in the real world', about the grief of separation and divorce.  Purchase Kate's book 'Untying the Knot' here https://www.amazon.co.uk/Untying-Knot-Consciously-Uncouple-World/dp/1786050684 When you are going through separation or divorce it can often feel like there is no way through the pain and conflict. No small light twinkling at the end of the tunnel. Will it always feel this bad? How will you heal the hurt of your children? Will this damage them for life? How will you cope with increased costs and reduced money? Where will you live? Will you ever find peace and happiness again? Part personal story, part expert guide, Untying the Knot takes you through the process of separation as both parents and friends. From the very first days of unfathomable heartache, through telling the children, what to do with the family home and dealing with conflicts, to finding yourself, coming out the other side and much mo

This episode of Shapes Of Grief features the introduction by Liz of Shapes Of Grief and follows with Directors Q & A with Liz, Jane Harris & Jimmy Edmonds during a live screening of ‘A Love That Never Dies’ held in the Whale Theatre in Greystones, Co. Wicklow on January 29th 2020. The documentary itself can be viewed here for £3.99 https://thegoodgriefproject.co.uk/watch-a-love-that-never-dies-now/ How do we grieve? Why do we grieve? And why are we afraid of those that do grieve? Jane Harris and Jimmy Edmonds’ son Josh died nine years ago while travelling in SE Asia. As a way of honouring his memory, they set off on their own road trip across the USA to find out why, in a world where death will always make front page news, real life conversations about death, dying and bereavement are so problematic. Along the way they find other bereaved families with stories of grief that refuse social expectations about moving on or letting go. In a culture that is still uneasy talking about death, dying and bereav

A lovely episode with psychologist Chris Germer on how Self-Compassion can be a really useful practice at times of Grief.  Understanding the biology of self-compassion can assist us in understanding the mechanism of how kindness not criticism can support us through grief.  As promised in the episode, find links to Chris' website for lots of free resources and more information on Mindful Self Compassion https://chrisgermer.com/meditations/ 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 tools and expertise necessary for understanding and supporting the complex needs of the bereaved, or people grieving any type of loss. With a curriculum that has been meticulously developed to include the most comprehensive evidence-based material available, Shapes Of Grief stands out as the only pro

Julia Samuel’s book Grief Works contains a wealth of information and wisdom on the process of grief, grounded in years of experience as a Grief Therapist and with deep awareness of how grief can be for many people. In this inspiring conversation, Julia and Liz talk about the paradox of grief -  “The essence of grief is that we are forced, through death, to confront a reality we inherently reject’ and how we can best support ourselves and each other during the painful weeks, months and years that can follow the death of someone we love. Julia has developed an App, based on her book, also called Grief Works and it will be available for trial free during the month of January 2020. To access the app, please sign-up on her website https://www.apps.psyt.co.uk/grief-works 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 e

On September 30th 2014, Sheila and Barry Boland learned that their beloved 3 year-old son Oisín had an incurable brain tumour and had only weeks to live. Treatment could buy them some more time, but Sheila and Barry took a road less travelled and decided instead to focus on making every day special for their beloved boy. Five years later, Sheila opens up to Liz about the incredible experience that would follow; one filled with equal parts of devastation and beauty and how it would propel Sheila onto a spiritual path in a search of meaning in the madness. This episode features their first conversation. Following from this conversation, Sheila felt that there was still so much more that she wished she had said, so a further conversation is coming your way! Sheila’s blog https://butterflyboyoisin.wordpress.com/oisins-story/ #grief #bereavement #childhoodcancer #braintumour #parentalgrief #whenachilddies  About Shapes of Grief: Shapes of Grief is an internationally recognized organization dedicated to enhanc

On January 10th 2007, just 24 hours after five men lost their lives in an Irish vessel called the Pere Charles, just a few miles down the coast, another boat was to run into difficulty resulting in the loss of two more lives. In this conversation, I speak with Helen Bohan who’s brother Ger Bohan was the skipper on that second vessel, the Honeydew II. Helen talks of the impact of this sudden and traumatic loss, how she coped in the weeks, months and years afterwards, the importance of acknowledging sibling grief, how it is not to retrieve your loved ones body and so much more. Helen and Liz refer to an article about ‘resilience’, the link to which can be found here https://medium.com/the-mission/resilience-a-new-grief-myth-that-can-hurt-you-40af29639e62 #gerbohan #grief #bereavement #drowning #sinking #honeydewII #perecharles #darafitzpatrick #niamhfitzpatrick #somaticexperiencing #kinsale About Shapes of Grief: Shapes of Grief is an internationally recognized organization dedicated to enhancing competency a

Back in the Winter of 2018, when I was planning the launch of the Shapes Of Grief podcast, two other women in Ireland were doing the same.  Venetia Quick and Sasha Hamrogue launched the Grief Encounters podcast at the same time.  It was lovely to finally meet with Venetia (unfortunately Sasha wasn’t there that day) and share experiences of our past few months hosting the podcasts and what we’ve learnt from people about grief. Both Shapes Of Grief and Grief Encounters have been met with such support in Ireland and Abroad, with a common goal of opening up the conversations around grief so that those grieving can feel less isolated and those supporting them will have a better understanding of the enormity that a bereavement or other traumatic event can have on someone’s life. Grief Encounters is available on most podcasting platforms and, like Shapes Of Grief, they have a private facebook group for those experiencing grief at this time. If you have been supported by either Shapes Of Grief or Grief Enco

When Helen was 5, her baby brother Martin died in a cot death. She remembers his little white coffin being put into the neighbours car, her other brother, who was four at the time, remembers that car registration number to this day, over fifty years later. Decades later, Helen went on to found the Children’s Grief Centre in Limerick, supporting children who are grieving. In this conversation, Helen and Liz discuss children’ grief and draw on their experience as counsellors to discuss some of the important themes that can come up for children who are grieving and offer some really practical suggestions on how to best support grieving children, whether their loss be through bereavement or parental separation. For more information on children's grief, see https://www.childhoodbereavement.ie, the website of the Irish Childhood Bereavement Network. The Children's Grief Centre in Limerick can be contacted here https://www.childrensgriefcentre.ie. See their video here https://youtu.be/jgKcdZeW5rs And for people in t