Shapes Of Grief

Nov 06 2023 126
Shapes Of Grief Podcast artwork

Shapes of Grief is brought to you by Liz Gleeson, an Irish grief therapist. Liz hosts conversations with people about their experience of loss and grief in their lives. Through the recounting of our grief stories, integration can begin to happen, both for the teller and the listener. Everyone has a story of loss and everyone's story offers hope and inspiration to other grievers. Sharing these stories with each other can go a long way in normalising this human experience. Please do become a Patron on https://www.patreon.com/shapesofgrief for as little as $5 per month, help keep us going!

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Ep. 111 Vicky Linnane on Sibling Loss and Anticipatory Grief

Nov 06 2023 68 mins  
In this episode, Vicky Linnane discusses the profound and often overlooked experience of sibling loss and the impact of sibling loss on her identity, relationships and sense of self. Vicky’s brother, Gary, who died in a house fire - was described as a character who always lived life on the edge, having multiple incidents and accidents that always left their family uneasy, ultima

Ep. 110 Mary Kennelly on the Losses of Menopause

Oct 15 2023 81 mins  
In this episode Mary discusses the multifaceted aspects of menopause, the losses associated with menopause, ambiguous loss as well as the release of her new book; Seven Steps to Birth a Crone. She explores the physical and emotional changes, the challenges and triumphs and the unique ways she’s embraced this transition . This episode focuses on the impact of menopause on self-est

Ep.109 Tasha Smith - Can you just sit with me

Oct 06 2023 55 mins  
We are back with a new episode of our podcast! Listen in via any major podcast streaming platform! In this episode, Tasha opens up about her experience of pregnancy loss and then loosing another child to adoption, and how that impacted her life as a young teenager. Tasha discusses her experience of the #DisenfranchisedGrief she suffered for years, without realizing that's what

Ep. 108 Collective Grief: Mourning Sinead O'Connor

Aug 08 2023 28 mins  
Sinead O'Connor was many things to many people. On 8th August, her funeral procession brought her back to her former hometown Bray, Co. Wicklow, where her community could pay their condolences and express their love and gratitude for this beloved woman. I travelled to Bray to speak to some of the mourners. #grief #collectivegrief #sineadoconnor #sineado'connor #nothingcomp

Ep. 107 Caoimhe Butterly on Supporting Refugees & Humanitarian Work

Jun 18 2023 83 mins  
June 20th is World Refugee Day I am so lucky and privileged to live in a country that is not threatened by war. My children are safe, have access to good education and have their human rights supported and protected. Not everyone is so lucky. Many people in the world live under the daily threat of war, violence or poverty. When home is no longer safe, many people make the impossibl

Ep. 106 Lucy on being widowed young & the cultural impacts on her grief

Jun 01 2023 84 mins  
No twenty three year old, starting out on married life, expects to be widowed so young, but that is what happened Lucy. After her husband died, not only did she lose him, but also the family and friends that surrounded her - she was from the 'wrong' tribe. Lucy generously shares her experience of her life after loss, navigating domestic violence and ultimately fleeing with

Ep. 105 Mandy Gosling on Adults Bereaved as Children

May 02 2023 63 mins  
This is such an important perspective that hasn't yet been explicitly been explored by the podcast. In this episode, Mandy Gosling shares her experience of being a bereaved child after her mother died when she was aged 9. We explore how this early loss can impact a person's life, affecting their relationships and sense of self in the world. Grief has not always been support

Ep. 104 Tony Lynch on anger & finding purpose following the death of his son

Apr 16 2023 60 mins  
The pain of losing a child can trigger immensely distressing emotions. In the aftermath of a child's death, it is common for bereaved parents to feel that life no longer has purpose or meaning. In this conversation, Tony generously shares the story of his son Jake's sudden death, how Tony's past and environment shaped his experience of grief, how his anger nearly killed

Ep. 103 Kate on her little sister Hanna's illness and death

Apr 02 2023 46 mins  
Often called 'The forgotten grievers', there is no name for someone who has lost a sibling. They regularly hear 'how is your mum?' or 'how is your dad?', but rarely 'how are you?'. For a sibling, the loss can be enormous. Not only have they been bereaved of someone they have known probably for most or all of their lives, but they have also lost a ver

Ep. 102 Jackie Furlong on Delayed Grief following the death of her daughter

Mar 20 2023 68 mins  
Jackie Furlong describes the immense psychological and emotional challenges of coping with the profound impact of her daughter's death, without the benefit of emotional literacy. It would be years after her loss that Jackie would learn how to grieve. Jackie's thesis was an autobiography - Giving Voice to Grief. The question she researched - Is there a path through the grieving proc