Every one of us has experienced loss at some point, whether it is the loss of a loved one, a relationship you thought would last forever, a pet, or even a job. Loss is inevitable, and with loss comes grief. Grieving is one of the hardest and quite honestly, most misunderstood parts of life. But here’s the thing, when you find the strength to work through the process, a new more powerful version of yourself emerges.
On this episode of The Language of Love, I sat down with Barri Leiner Grant. Barri is the Founder of The Memory Circle, an organization that helps those who have lost a loved one through the power of writing. We discuss the healing power of writing and the role it plays in helping us move to the next phase of life. If you’ve lost someone and find yourself mired in the muck of grief, unsure of how to move forward, pick up a pen and pad and listen as Barri shows us how to write your way through it!
In this episode, we’ll discuss:
- Grief is not just limited to the loss of a loved one or family member.
- Embracing the ways that loss can define and redfine you.
- Make time for and be willing to tend to your grief garden.
- The power of words to help heal us.
Resources and Links
Dr. Laura Berman
Barri Leiner Grant
About Barri Leiner Grant
Barri Leiner Grant is a certified grief coach (ICF) and founder of The Memory Circle. Born from a desire to make the grief cycle a shared experience, The Memory Circle is a place to gather, remember, and celebrate those we lost and love. As a coach, Barri helps facilitate and explore ways to remember and reflect on loss in both one-on-one sessions and grief support groups. Her passion for helping others share their grief stories became a personal mission when her mother, Ellen Jane died of a brain aneurism in 1993 at just 50 years old. Barri also works with firms of all sizes to develop best practices and policies around bereavement leave and employee grief support.
1. CONNECTING
Automatic writing prompt:
Get quiet and ask...
What would you have me know?
Allow the words to pass through you to the page.
2. DELIGHTS
Create a journal of delights. Prompted by The Book of Delights by Ross Gay
At the end of the day, write down 10 things that have delighted you.
The Book of Delights, by Ross Gay
https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-book-of-delights-essays-ross-gay/12566058?ean=9781616207922
3. Adapted from Julia Cameron’s morning pages.
MOURNING PAGES
Three long hand pages upon waking.
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-artist-s-way-30th-anniversary-edition-julia-cameron/6665657?ean=9780143129257
4. The Quad Exercise as share by memoirist Dani Shapiro
Divide the paper in four with a big plus sign...
Upper left quadrant.
Seven things you saw.
Upper right quadrant:
Seven things you did.
Lower left
One thing you heard.
Lower right
And a doodle that represents the day.
Dani Shapiro’s Slow Motion
https://bookshop.org/p/books/slow-motion-a-memoir-of-a-life-rescued-by-tragedy-dani-shapiro/9024419?ean=9780061826696
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