MwT: Grief Busting with Dina Bell-Laroche

This is our fifth episode in this “Grief Busting” series with special guest and expert on grief and bereavement, Dina Bell-Laroche. You’ll remember Dina from her chat with me back in November, 2022.   

Today we meander all round myths relating who and what can help grieving people. We start by talking about Dina’s newly released book on grief and loss called “Grief Unleashed: Moving from the hole in our hearts to whole-hearted.” Dina has written this book into being over the last decade, and over the twenty-two years since the death of Tracy, her sister. She talks about how witnessing her mother’s journals from those days, as she unpacked her daughter’s cancer and unfolding of this to her death, enriched, and in some ways even drove, the writing. “This book has written me…” says Dina, and that is often how it is with us as we move through our grief and bereavement. This is one of the many ways Dina found solace, and healing, after Tracy’s death. 

Living means we will experience loss of all kinds, big and small. And when we can grapple with that in a healthy way, we develop resiliency to be with life as it is in this very moment. We also spend some time today talking about grief and bereavement in high-performing athletes – a very real thing for athletes as they compete (win/lose), come back from injury, or decide to retire. A different view of grief, but also very relatable, and informative, for us all.

I hope you enjoy this final episode in our deep dive into the myths around grief and how dealing with our grief can deepen our joy. 

Dina and I will break for the summer, and will have something new for you in the fall. In the meanwhile, feedback is welcome, so please drop us a note at [email protected].

Episode Links:

Chapman Coaching Inc.

Dina’s company is Grief Unleashed

Dina’s blog post outlining her 25 myths about grief, that we are exploring in these meanders and the book, “Grief Unleashed: Moving from the hole in our hearts to whole-hearted” can be purchased through her publisher

Joan Erikson, and Dana Faulds poem “Allow”

Royalty free music is called 

Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma