There is a lot of grief in the world right now. Between the masses coming to grips with where they have been complicit in a racist society and COVID-19 resurgences, I’ve often been asked what I am doing to support other people in their grief. The answer is not at all profound. I’m giving myself plenty of permission to grieve first.

Currently I’m doing my best to honor those places within me that are sad, frustrated, angry, helpless and hopeless, and those voices that say that the world is not a safe place and I can’t trust anybody. When I can be with those uncomfortable feelings within myself, I give permission for other people to feel their feelings. Also, I can tell what is mine as opposed to what belongs to somebody else to avoid conflating the space between the two of us.

The best thing that you can do to support the grief right now in the world is to feel your own first. Feel it, back stroke in it. It’s just uncomfortable. It will not kill you. I promise. If it does, get a death doula.

For death doula training visit www.goingwithgrace.com/trainingdetails