When her father died of cancer, a few days before her 18th birthday, Laurel Braitman started running. Running towards the academic and professional accomplishments her father pushed her to achieve and running away from the intense shame and guilt she carried about their last conversation. It wasn’t until her 30’s that Laurel stopped running long enough to face her greatest fear: feeling her feelings.
Laurel’s newest book, What Looks Like Bravery: An epic journey through loss to love, chronicles her quest to connect with grief and how it led to the biggest adventure of all - opening up to love.
In our conversation we delve into:
Growing up with her father’s illness and the threat of him dying
Running from guilt & shame in grief
Overachieving as a coping mechanism
Wanting to be a “geriatric kid” at Josie’s Place, a peer grief support program for children & families
What Laurel learned about grief from being a volunteer facilitator in that program
Learning a new way of being in the world & staying open to love
Having a “cosmic do-over" in helping her mom at the end of her life
Tending To Trauma In Grief - Meghan Riordan Jarvis
I've Missed Him At Every Milestone - Bridget
It Was Such A Shock - John
I Think He'd Be Proud Of Me - Sonja
When Your Spouse Dies Of Suicide - Alexandra Wyman
Love Isn't Finite - Grieving A Partner
How To Make New Memories
How To Show Up For Others
Love Is Stronger - Interrupting Gun Violence
Becoming A Cultural Kinkeeper
The Grief Garden - Supporting Collective Grief
When I Think Of Him, Love Is The Word That Comes Up - Pierce Freelon
How Do I Keep Going Without Her? Kelly S. Thompson
We Need Queer Specific Grief Spaces - Queer Grief Club & Jamie Thrower
It Affects All Of My Relationships
I Took A Year Off To Grieve - Rebecca Feinglos & GrieveLeave
There's No End Point - Sushi Tuesdays & Charlotte Maya
It's Still Complicated
Death With Dignity - Dr. Peg Sandeen
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