Grief

Who Am I Without David?

a single glass of wine

David, my partner of nearly 30 years always said that I was his ‘right arm’.   When he died suddenly while we were overseas, just over four years ago, I felt as though all I had left was my right arm.    My whole body, my whole sense of self, had completely turned on … Read more

The things people say

older women walking

I have just come through another Christmas without David and am being catapulted (it feels) into the forthcoming anniversary of his sudden death in Italy.   Being nearly four years in one would hope that I would not only be used to the variety of things people can say (both helpful … Read more

Mind levees and grief

Lorraine Cleeton is a US based grief coach, co-author and bereaved mother who uses a ‘levees of the mind’ model to assist clients to understand themselves better. We caught up with Lorraine to talk about grief, her own loss and the levees of the mind. Can you share your own … Read more

Join us in Kirribilli on May 22 – Reflection.

Understand Death Better - Kirribilli, May 22.

How to have the best death possible? We discussed this question and many others in May at Kirribilli. “It was lovely to meet you and be part of the workshop. I very much enjoyed watching you engage with the audience and the way you navigated conversations. From my perspective, it … Read more

Dipping into the well

This article was updated on 24 March, 2023. It discusses the death of my dear brother Julian in a motorbike accident. A conversation with friends took me to a well the other day. We were walking in the Sydney sunshine along Bungaree’s Walkway at Middle Head, a natural pathway with … Read more

What has collective grief taught Harriet Price?

Woollahra councillor Harriet Price answers the question "what has grief taught you?"

This article was updated on 7 March, 2023. It discusses collective grief and Covid-19. One of the good things to come out of the collective grief from the Covid-19 crisis is the realisation of the value of our local community. Yes it’s marvellous that before this, because of technology, we … Read more

Sometimes the source of our grief is not noticeable to others.

The birth of a new baby, even though good, is an example of a big life transition. Photo-Aditya-Romansa-@adroman-via-Unsplash.png

This article was updated on 1 November, 2022. It discusses grief in retirement. We all know it – grief is part of life. And it’s not just the obvious, big things like the death of friends or family that cause this pain. Sometimes the source of grief and loss is … Read more

Coffin Art gave Sandra the Chance to Talk to her Cousin one Last Time.

Coffin art offered a chance to talk to my cousin one last time, photo: Sandra Moon

This article was updated on 26 October, 2022. It made a difference to be able to connect one last time, SANDRA MOON, journalist, editor, writer and no stranger to grief, says of her personal experience with coffin art. In the crematorium I waited with the other mourners, thick black markers … Read more

What has grief taught Claudia Tyson?

Claudia Tyson at our local coffee shop

This article was updated on September 22, 2022. It discusses loss and sorrow in our community. Claudia is a warm face who brightens up my local coffee shop, first thing in the morning. She works for a mission organisation, Church Missionary Society. But we’ve chatted with her today because she’s … Read more

What has grief taught Susan Marcuccio?

Susan Marcuccio

This article has been updated on August 4, 2022. Often people come to professional grief work in response to the death of someone they love. But in a strange and horrible reversal of that, Susan Marcuccio’s experience has been the reverse. After establishing a reputation for her work in chaplaincy, … Read more

Our grief responses are okay – even the little ones.

The OK's of Covid-19, by the Healing Patch, https://www.homenursingagency.com/our-services/childrens-services/healing-patch

This article was updated on 27 July, 2022. It’s close to two and a half years since the World Health Organisation declared a global pandemic and grief is still hitting us and loved ones are still dying. The latest Australian Covid statistics from the ABC are here. We have gone … Read more

Even Harvard knows about grief.

Even Harvard knows about grief.

Updated February 2, 2022. Friend and fellow traveller Mimi passed this info along. It’s a resource to help with grief, prepared by Harvard Medical School’s publishing house. This line attracted our attention: “You’ll learn that some of the things we’ve been taught about grief don’t necessarily hold true.” For example, … Read more

Where will Covid-19 take us next?

This is a review of where we are now, the gains and losses in managing the threat of death from Covid-19. What has changed, what has gone backwards, what has improved? Not all the threats to life will come from the virus itself, a space that health professionals are now … Read more

Grief in the time of Covid-19

We mustn’t forget the others, like Matthew Updated 13.2.22 In 2020 we interviewed Matthew for our Good Grief! newsletter. The story of his grief journey is still pertinent. But we’re pleased to report, he identifies himself as having experienced post-grief growth since we first spoke to him. To see that … Read more

Psychiatrist Dr Michelle Atchison’s thoughts on grief and isolation

Dr Michelle Atchison agrees with Matthew that, as Covid-19 imposes isolation on the grieving, it is an important time for professionals in the grief area to reach out to their patients. She is the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Chair of Private Practice, and also works in … Read more