E385-Inner Voice: A Heartfelt Chat with Dr. Foojan Zeine & Meghan Riordan Jarvis-Grief & Loss Process

E385 – "Inner Voice: A Heartfelt Chat with Dr. Foojan Zeine." In this episode, Dr. Foojan Zeine chats with Meghan Riordan Jarvis, MA, LCSW, a podcast host, TEDx speaker, and trauma-trained psychotherapist specializing in grief and loss. With 20 years of experience, she speaks on the importance of understanding grief and supporting grievers. Meghan hosts the popular blog and podcast Grief Is My Side Hustle and offers a free writing workshop, Grief Mates. She founded the Grief Mentor Method: Six Core Concepts to Creating a Personalized Grief Process and is the author of End of the Hour, a memoir on trauma, loss, and healing. Today, we will discuss her new book, Can Anyone Tell Me? Essential Questions about Grief And Loss. Connect with Meghan at www.meghanriordanjarvis.com. # 1 on the 20 Best California Mental Health Podcasts list by FeedSpot. https://podcasts.feedspot.com/california_mental_health_podcasts/ Check out my website: www.FoojanZeine.com, www.AwarenessIntegration.com, www.Foojan.com Remember to Subscribe, Listen, Review, and Share! Find me on these sites: *iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/i...) *Google Play (https://play.google.com/music/m/Inpl5...) *Stitcher (https://www.stitcher.com/) *YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/DrFoojan) Platforms to Like and Follow: *Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/DrFoojanZeine/) *Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/Dr.FoojanZeine) *Twitter (https://www.twitter.com/DrZeine/) *LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/DrFoojanZeine) Summary: Meghan and Dr. discussed the complexities of grief and loss, emphasizing that grief is a personal experience and not a problem to fix. Meghan, a trauma therapist specializing in grief and loss, shared her experiences and insights from her book, highlighting the common symptoms of grief, such as brain fog, memory loss, and emotional turmoil. She also stressed the importance of understanding that grief is not a singular event but a continuous process, with big and small losses contributing to the overall experience. The conversation also touched on the importance of acknowledging and validating the grief process, as many people feel like they are failing or going crazy due to the lack of cultural understanding and support. Meghan and Dr. discussed the cultural norms surrounding grief and bereavement in Western societies. Meghan highlighted the lack of support for grieving individuals, with many companies only offering three days of bereavement leave. She suggested that this lack of support can lead to self-criticism and isolation. Dr. noted that many cultures grieve together and that Western societies expect to compartmentalize grief. Meghan proposed making an appointment with oneself to acknowledge and process grief and suggested that this could be a helpful tool for those experiencing grief. The conversation also touched on the importance of having a support system during grief. Meghan and Dr. discussed the complexities of grief and loss, emphasizing the importance of understanding and accepting the new roles and identities of such experiences. They highlighted the need for individuals to consciously decide how they want their relationships to continue after a loss and the importance of maintaining a connection with the person who has passed. Meghan also shared her personal experience of grappling with spirituality and the search for meaning after her mother's sudden death. The conversation concluded with Meghan encouraging people to view grief as a natural part of life, deserving the same support and understanding as other challenging experiences.