There are aspects of grief most people resist normalizing, like accepting it is not a linear path, and that can make us lash out at others in anger.

In this episode, I’m joined by the Clinical Social Worker and Author Claire Willis. Claire has over 30 years of experience both as a volunteer and a social worker in hospice care and also leads bereavement, end-of-life support, and therapeutic writing groups.

It was leading these groups she realized many of the attendants had this wrong idea that dealing with grief is a linear path, which motivated her to write her two books, “Opening To Grief” and “Lasting Words.”

Throughout this episode, Claire sheds light on little-known aspects of grief, like the anger it can provoke, and invites us to normalize its various expressions. You’ll also hear about why she believes grievers are not alone as long as they can ways to express themselves, what is a Sudden Temporary Upsurge of Grief, and why you shouldn’t worry if you experience one.

Plus, Claire talks about ambiguous loss, primary and secondary loss, shares practical resources for holding grief, and much more.

Tune in and listen to episode 266 of Grief and Happiness, and take a step further in understanding the multiple expressions of grief and how to better deal with them.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• There is no linear path in grief (1:30)
• Being angry and lashing out might become part of a grieving process (4:50)
• Grief and its cultural blockages (9:30)
• How to deal with ambiguous loss (11:40)
• Sudden Temporary Upsurge of grief (16:20)
• Claire shares actionable tips for holding grief (19:50)

Connect with Claire Willis:

• Website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Book: Claire Willis – Opening to Grief: Finding Your Way from Loss to Peace
• Book: Claire Willis – Lasting Words: A Guide to Finding Meaning Toward the Close of Life

Let’s Connect:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• The Grief and Happiness Alliance
• Book: Emily Thiroux Threatt – Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief

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Emily Thiroux Threatt Podcast Host, Facilitator, Author

Having gone through the experience of the deaths of so many loved ones, I have learned to face life with love, optimism, and joy.

I have kept journals and written to express myself most of my life which led me to a career of teaching writing and writing books. I naturally turned to writing to help deal with my grief, then I discovered I could use writing to help friends deal with grief, too.

In contemplating how I could best help the grieving people I was working with, my Ignite moment came when realized the importance of helping people understand the importance of happiness and how they could grieve and be happy at the same time.

To share my message, I host the Grief and Happiness podcast, I wrote the book Loving and Living Your Way Though Grief, I facilitate weekly meetings of the Grief and Happiness Alliance, I founded the Grief and Happiness nonprofit foundation, I publish a weekly newsletter and blog, and my new book, The Grief and Happiness Handbook is coming out soon.