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In this episode, Dr. Mia interviews David McLawhorn, a grief counselor, about his work and the topic of grief. David shares his personal journey into grief counseling and discusses the differences between grief and depression. He also explains the phases of grief and the challenges of anticipatory grief and ambiguous loss. David provides insights into how grief counselors can support individuals who are grieving and recommends resources for further reading. The conversation emphasizes the importance of being present, listening, and practicing self-care when supporting someone who is grieving.

Keywords
grief, grief counseling, loss, depression, phases of grief, anticipatory grief, ambiguous loss, grief support, companioning, self-care

Takeaways

• Grief work often chooses the individual, as many people involved in grief counseling have been personally affected by loss.
• Grief and depression have similarities, but grief is a normal and necessary response to loss, while clinical depression can block the healing process.
• Grief is not a linear process and can involve a range of emotions and grief bursts that come in waves.
• Anticipatory grief occurs when individuals grieve the losses they have experienced and the losses they know will come, such as in cases of cancer or dementia.
• Grief counselors provide support by companioning individuals, being present, listening, and avoiding platitudes or trying to fix the grief.
• Self-care is essential for any helping professional to prevent burnout and maintain their ability to support others.
• Recommended resources for understanding and navigating grief include books by Dr. Alan Wolfelt, Claire Bidwell Smith, David Kessler, and Megan Devine.

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Video on Ask Dr. Mia YouTube channel
Transcripts on www.miayangmd.com. Transcripts are automatically generated and may contain minor inaccuracies.
Email: ask@miayangmd.com
Opinions expressed are exclusive of Dr. Mia Yang and not reflective of her or guest speaker's employers or funders.