Episode 06 | We Need To Talk About Grief | Suzanne Jabour, Grief Educator

Aug 21, 2023

Say it with me, so those in the back with their palms pressed over their ears can hear us: EVERYONE GRIEVES. Grief is a natural part of our lives and a natural, healthy response to loss -- no matter how big (loss of life, loss of a relationship, loss of financial security) or small (moving to a new home, graduation, loss of vacation, etc.)

However, for some unbelievable and unjustified reason, our society pretends grief is unnatural, unwarranted, and largely unwelcomed. Too often, grievers hear tone deaf comments from those who are considered close friends and family: "Shouldn't you be over it by now?" or "Doesn't it seem a little soon to move on?" or "Why are you still upset?" or "Everything happens for a reason." 

Or worse, those grieving hear nothing at all, because grief has suddenly changed their address book. Those who they thought would support them in a heartbeat, are nowhere to be found. But new relationships form out of the woodwork with those who are able to hold space, love and openness with those grieving. It's all part of the process.

In today's episode, my guest, Suzanne Jabour, and I have an incredibly open, honest, insightful and helpful conversation about grief. Suzanne is a certified Grief Educator, speaker and coach who works with grievers and those supporting them to open the conversation, navigate the journey, and learn to stay in the awkwardness that all that requires. Suzanne also works with business and community leaders to understand how grief shows up at work and develop skills, mindsets and protocols that will support grievers to be successful at work. 

Suzanne and I cover perhaps the most important and untalked about parts of grief:

• There is no right or wrong way to grieve (please tell anyone who disagrees to get lost)
• The different types of grief
• How to handle the significant physical, emotional and cognitive impacts of grief
• How to move through grief and still live your life as the "waves" hit you
• How to talk about grief with others
• How to show up and what to say to someone who is grieving
• Why our society is so uncomfortable with grief
• How unprocessed collective grief is showing up in our world today 
• How leaders in business can identify if a colleague is grieving and how to change their culture to support them

This conversion is helpful to anyone and everyone who has ever experienced a loss, no matter how big or small. It's a conversation that is much needed in our world today, and I hope inspires you to start a dialogue with others about your own grief.