Grief & Loss Discussed for Suicide Prevention Month
Jessica and Kelly discussed their plans to focus on the topic of grief and loss in their series, aligning it with Suicide Prevention Month. Despite Kelly's initial reluctance to delve into such a heavy topic, they both agreed that it was a relevant and necessary subject to discuss, given that everyone has faced loss or will face it in their lives. They intended to provide listeners with tools and tips to cope with grief, and they hoped that even those who didn't immediately relate to the topic might find it useful in the future. Here are the key topics we discuss:
- Upbringing: Death Perception Discussion - Jessica and Kelly discussed their experiences growing up on a farm and their religion had an impact on their understanding of life and death.
- Grief, Suicide, and Personal Loss - the process of grief, including the stages of grief, which they noted were originally developed to describe people facing their own death rather than survivors.
- Grief, Afterlife, and New Life: A Discussion - personal experiences with grief and the concept of the afterlife. They discussed the book "The Lovely Bones," which depicts a young girl watching her family from the afterlife.
- Grief, Coping, and Self-Care Strategies - personal experiences with grief and the coping strategies they've employed. They emphasized that the grieving process is unique to each individual and can take an extended period of time.
- Emotional Healing and Self-Care Discussion - the importance of self-care and the process of emotional healing. They also talked about the therapeutic value of understanding the root of emotions, using the RAIN method.
- Celebrating and Memorializing Lost Loved Ones - discussed ways to memorialize and celebrate the life of a loved one who has passed away.
- Grieving Support: Listen, Ask, Summarize - how to support someone who is grieving. They emphasized the importance of listening, asking questions, and summarizing what the person is going through, without making it about oneself.
- Support and Reminders in Difficult Times - discussed the importance of offering support and providing reminders to loved ones during difficult times.
- Suicide Discussion: Communication, Guilt, Diversity - discussed the rising trend of people dying by suicide and emphasized the importance of direct communication about the topic.
- Sensitive Language in Mental Health Discussions - discussed the importance of using sensitive language when discussing suicide, emphasizing the need to remove the stigma and shame often associated with it.
- Suicide Prevention Dialogue: A Sensitive Discussion - The conversation touched on the grief experienced by survivors, the expectations of control in the face of such tragedies, and the various responses to suicide in different communities.
- Health Discussion: Addressing Underlying Issues - discussed the importance of addressing underlying issues causing symptoms of distress, such as suicidal thoughts, rather than focusing solely on the symptoms themselves.
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