Will Reeve on Childhood Grief & Deliberate Healing.

Will Reeve on Childhood Grief & Deliberate Healing
ON THIS EPISODE

Will Reeve, news correspondent for Good Morning America/ABC News and the son of Dana and Christopher Reeve (who many of us know as the iconic Superman actor), joins David to discuss how the pain of grief changes over time — even if the grief itself is permanent. Their conversation flows through questions that, if you’re here, you might also be asking: How do you integrate your daily life with the complex and wide-ranging emotions of grief? How do you hold space for memories that bring both pain and joy? Will speaks candidly about what life has been like in the aftermath of his parents’ deaths, and how he’s continued to process, find meaning, and embrace the work. 

LISTEN TO THE EPISODE
ABOUT THE GUEST
Will Reeve

William Reeve is a news correspondent for ABC News and Good Morning America. He is the son of Dana and Christopher Reeve (the iconic Superman). He continues his parent’s legacy by serving on the Board of Directors for the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. The Foundation is dedicated to curing spinal cord injury and improving the quality of life for individuals and families impacted by paralysis.

SHOW NOTES

Join me in this conversation with Will Reeve. We’ll talk about grief, loss, and creating a life after the worst has happened. Will Reeve had both parents die at a young age. He shares his own experience growing up in the shadow of grief and finding joy as he navigates the continual process of healing. He also shares first-hand experience on the best ways to help children in grief.

When a parent dies, everything changes. You’ve lost one of the people who loved you first. Our parents introduced us to the world and showed us how to navigate life. 

A parent’s absence is loud. When a parent dies, roles can change, family dynamics may shift, and traditions may be altered. I hope that you will find this episode helpful and comforting.

When a Parent Dies Video – Click here to receive a free video from David Kessler on healing after the death of a parent. In this free video, grief expert, David Kessler explores this unique and heartbreaking loss and shares tips to remember with more love than pain.

FOR MORE SUPPORT

www.tenderheartssupport.com - David's online grief support group, Tender Hearts

www.aboutgrief.com - Understanding loss and grief

www.lossofaparent.com - Death of a parent

www.parentforever.com - Death of a child and sibling

www.griefsuicide.com - Death of a loved one by suicide

988lifeline.org - 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

nami.org - National Alliance of Mental Illness

afsp.org - American Foundation of Suicide Prevention

adultchildren.org - Adult Children of Alcoholics® & Dysfunctional Families

al-anon.org - Al-Anon Family Groups

amzn.to/31AZCPv - Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief

actapublications.com/tear-soup - Tear Soup: A Recipe of Healing After Loss

www.elf-help.com/grief_therapy_124048.htm - Grief Therapy, Elf Help Books

Spotify Limited Series - Click here to see all 12 episodes
TIPS AND TAKEAWAYS

Grief is permanent 

Your grief is not healed all at once. Grief is permanent but the pain is not. The grief is healed in increments and it also evolves over time. How has your grief evolved over time?

Grief is multi-layered 

We have secondary and additional losses when we are in grief. So often following grief, we continue to experience other losses. We experience relationship changes and losses. We may have to move. We can lose our sense of self.  The ideas that we held about how our life would be is altered. We are constantly changing and grief and loss can bring on even more change. How is your world changing?

Appropriate grief support is important for children

Children also heal and confront grief in increments as they develop. They are also sometimes referred to as puddle jumpers. They jump into the sadness and then jump out again and go out to play. We don’t want support to completely interrupt childhood. Everyday childhood activities are so important. Will says so brilliantly not to send your child to therapy 3x a week so they can’t play the soccer they love. In their own time, at the developmentally appropriate pace for them, they will be ready to focus on different areas of their grief.

You’re not just one thing

While our grief can be a really big factor in our lives. We are many things and there are many facets to ourselves and our personalities and experiences. While we are a people in grief, we are also many other things. You may be a gardener, a student, a friend, or a neighbor. We can nurture all of these things at the same time. What are some other areas of your life? 

 

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