On this page, I share our personal experiences with grief and trauma. I also write articles on how to support someone who is grieving, is facing hardships or has suffered trauma. All my articles are based on personal experience and/or include references to research.
What you Should Say to Someone who is Grieving
I include 15 examples of things that should not be said to a grieving person, with the reasons of why the expressions should be avoided. I share better alternatives the bereaved would prefer to hear, as well as tips on how to be more empathetic.
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What NOT to say to someone who is Grieving : 10 Expressions to Avoid
I share 10 things Not to Say to someone who is grieving. It helps understanding and identifying emphatic gestures and what to do to become more empathetic and compassionate.
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Choosing the Right Headstone for your Loved One
Choosing a headstone for a loved one is difficult, even more so when it’s your own child. I talk about our real-life experience with selecting a headstone and about a new technology (Impact Etching vs Laser Etching).
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Zackaël : Guardian Angel of Route 323
Today marks the 2 year anniversary of the accident. I share my experience of going to the accident site for the first time, where we have a roadside memorial.
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November is here
I write about some dreams that I have as a grieving mother. I include photos of the new stickers and panels I had ordered in honour of Zackaël.
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10 Reasons why we should Educate ourselves about Grief
I share my first video podcast! In the video, I talk about the importance of educating ourselves about grief (10 reasons why). I also reveal the pictures of our photoshoot, where Adélie is wearing a designer gown.
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Raising awareness of perinatal bereavement and child loss
On this day of awareness of perinatal loss, I share an interview of my cousin who lost her 2-month-old daughter. I also include the link to an interview I did about child loss, trauma and my grief journey.
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Coping with the Accident Aftermath and Grief during the COVID-19 Pandemic
I post an update about our family and how the accident and Covid-19 pandemic affected our daily life. I talk about some challenges with grief, child loss and virtual school (learning).
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Stages of Grief; Not Knowing that you are Grieving
An introduction to the popular 5-Stages Model of Grief, with concrete examples and scenarios. I also talk about 30 other types of events that can cause grief.
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Isn’t Child Loss Enough?
I talk about the impact of the pandemic on our grief journey. I share a secondary loss due to the accident.
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23 Myths About Grief
I talk about some of the ignorance in regards to grief and provide a concrete example. I share the top 23 common myths about grief and ask for your thoughts about the myths (through a little poll!).
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20 Ways to Remember our Loved Ones
There are many creative and meaningful ways to keep the memory of loved ones alive. In this post, I share 20 commemorative gestures anyone can make with pictures!
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How do you live in a landscape so vastly changed?
I started a course on grief. The course is called Writing Your Grief. Every day, we receive an email with a writing prompt encouraging us to explore an aspect of our grievance. Today is Day # 3.
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5 Reasons to Remember our Loved Ones
It’s important to continue commemorating a loved one’s several times a year. Here are a few reasons why.
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My sweet little angel
I talk about 2 empathetic people who are wholeheartedly with us, by keeping the roadside monument and photo visible. In this post, I’m also sharing a poem that I wrote last spring.
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Are you more Empathetic or Compassionate?
In this post, I talk about the differences between sympathy, empathy and compassion, and their definitions with concrete examples. I share my perspective on how to be more empathetic and compassionate. For some people, they will be empathetic but not necessarily compassionate. Others still will show their support by being compassionate even if they are not necessarily empathetic.
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My Complicated Grief
In this post, I share my journey of my complicated grief and how it was for the few months after the accident. I explain what is complicated grief (definition) and how it is to be a grieving mother.
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Goodbye 2020
2020 represents the first year without our child. We have no memory with Zackaël in 2020. I share how my heart ached at Christmas and the little things I did to cope with my sorrow and honour my son.
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Gone but never forgotten
It is important to keep talking about our children who died. Friends and relatives mistakenly believe that it is best to avoid mentioning the deceased child in the presence of the bereaved parent. The worst thing to do is ignore that they existed, and ignore their grief and loss.
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When Love and Sorrow Collide
I draw my broken heart, a heart of a grieving mother after child loss. I explain how Love and Sorrow Collide, how difficult it is to look at pictures and videos of my son.
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Zackaël’s Roadside Memorial on the 323
Carl talks about the first time he went to the accident site (accident with moose) on the 323 near Namur and Notre-Dame-de-la-paix. He and his friends installed the roadside memorial in honour of Zackaël.
Read More“These photos are only for the people who need them” Chrissy Teigen
You may remember that on October 1st, model Chrissy Teigen posted heartbreaking photos taken shortly after her miscarriage on Instagram, some with her baby, alongside her husband John Legend. While some people were supportive, these posts resulted in Chrissy being criticized and harassed online. On October 27, Chrissy spoke out in an open letter that…
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Hockey and community support – Le soutien à travers le hockey
English follows… Premièrement, j’aimerais vous remercier pour vos messages suite à ma publication précédente. Justement, parlant de cette publication, j’ai mentionné que je me suis souvent sentie seule suite à l’accident, malgré que j’étais entourée de gens remarquables. Il ne faut pas confondre ce commentaire de ma part en pensant que je n’appréciais pas…
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The Year of Firsts Is Not Done
English follows… Comme vous l’avez peut-être lu sur ma page d’accueil, j’ai plusieurs objectifs avec ce blogue. Un de ces objectifs est d’aider et partager avec d’autres endeuillés ou d’autres gens qui passent des moments difficiles. J’aimerais qu’on s’aide à passer à travers nos pertes, des situations difficiles et/ou à se sentir moins seul. N’inquiétez-vous…
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Zackaël’s Honour Book (Mixbook)
Pour la version originale de cette publication (version française), cliquez ici. I can’t believe we got the books today of all days! They were supposed to arrive on Thursday. Maybe Zackaël made it that they arrived today. This honour book about Zackaël was ordered last Monday on Mixbook. The book displays 77 beautiful coloured pages…
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Zackaël’s vigil – Vigile en mémoire de Zackaël
English follows… La vigile en mémoire de Zackaël a eu lieu vendredi soir le 13 novembre 2020. Un énorme merci pour tous ceux et celles qui sont venus. C’était une soirée mémorable…. plus à venir à propos de cette soirée! À noter que nous continuerons d’allumer les chandelles de la petite présentation avec photo que…
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