If you are bereaved, then you know how language is the key to expressing our grief. The hardest part is trying to make sense of our loss, and to reshape our life that has irrevocably changed. Rather than letting go of our old self, it's possible to expand and make room for our grieving self. My guest Sasha Bates, author and psychotherapist has written a book, part memoir, part guide, called LANGUAGES OF LOSS following the unexpected death of her husband, Bill Cashmore. Her career as a psychotherapist is brought into sharp relief as she tries to make sense of Bill's death - slowly uncovering the many 'languages' needed to help her express what had felt like an inexpressible loss.
We learn that grief isn't something we get over, grief is something we learn to accommodate within ourselves, and express through the languages of our mind and body.
We talk about why grief isn't something we recover from, and how being able to find an ongoing sense of presence can provide a form of internal safety - an internalised secure base, which creates an anchor to enable exploration.
Join me as I talk to Sasha about the experience of writing her new book, 'that came into existence initially as a life save for my sanity - a way for me to get my muddled thoughts and feelings down on paper and to try to keep my therapist self alive enough to help my grieving self get through this. And now I'm told it might do more, that others might benefit from reading it too. Another sense of purpose is born.'
This will be of interest to anyone who is bereaved, or supporting a bereaved friend or loved one.
www.sashabates.co.uk
Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @sashbates
Sasha Bates is an integrative psychotherapist and writer, with an MA, a Diploma in Counselling and an Advanced Diploma in integrative psychotherapy from The Minster Centre in London. In private practice she has gained a reputation as an embodied therapist - an earlier training as a yoga teacher having given her a good understanding of the mind body connection. Her first career was as a filmmaker, writing and directing programmes as varied as Watchdog, Live and Kicking, Bookworm, QED, One Foot in the Past, and Location, Location, Location and Grand Designs.
Sasha now teaches workshops about grief to other grievers, and to therapists, and has written a further book on grief, due to be published in June 2021.
She has also set up a theatrical bursary – The Bill Cashmore Award – in conjunction with the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith, aimed at helping young people gain experience of theatre and giving them the opportunity to produce their own work. She is a Quaker and a member of the Green Party.
Podcast host - Amanda Seyderhelm teaches Schools and organisations how to talk to children about bereavement, loss, and change. She is a certified play therapist, and author of the picture book for bereaved children, Isaac and the Red Jumper, and the professional guide Helping Children Cope with Loss and Change published by Routledge.
Connect with Amanda on social media:
www.amandaseyderhelm.com
Twitter @The KidDecoder
Instagram @amandaseyderhelm1
