Grief Has No Timeline with Jennifer Jamieson

In this episode of the Resilient Birth podcast, Justine Leach and Sarah Adelmann welcome Jennifer Jamieson, a bereaved mother and advocate for families who have experienced pregnancy and infant loss. Jennifer begins with a quote from Glennon Doyle’s Untamed: “Every world changer’s work begins with a broken heart.” She shares her personal journey grieving the children she lost through miscarriage and stillbirth, the importance of community support, and the transformative power of sharing stories in group settings. The conversation emphasizes the uniqueness of each person's grief experience, the significance of rituals in mourning, and the necessity of giving oneself permission to grieve. Jeniffer share how in peer support groups grieving parents can find their own experiences reflected in those of others and discover they are not alone. Keywords: grief, loss, support groups, bereaved parents, healing, community, stillbirth, miscarriage, peer support, pregnancy loss   takeaways Every world changer’s work begins with a broken heart. Grief has no timeline; it is a lifelong journey. Loss is a loss and grief is grief, regardless of circumstances. Community support can provide validation and understanding. Rituals for mourning are essential for honoring lost loved ones. It's never too late to acknowledge and process grief. Grief work is akin to building a muscle; it requires effort. We can carry our grief with us rather than trying to move on. Sharing stories in a group can lead to transformative moments. Authenticity in grief allows for deeper connections and healing.   Sound Bites "Grief has no timeline." "Loss is a loss and grief is grief." "We're sure glad that we have this community." "Grief work is like building a muscle." "It's a myth that we move on from our lost loved ones." "We create coping mechanisms that build strength." "Your story has a place to be." "It's never too late to acknowledge your grief."   Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Grief and Healing 01:01 The Impact of Personal Loss 08:25 The Power of Group Support 11:41 Navigating Grief: Individual vs. Group Support 18:07 Resonating Stories and Shared Experiences 21:22  Transformative Moments in Grief 26:37 Creating Rituals for Mourning 30:50Community Events and Collective Healing 37:34 Permission to Grieve 42:18 The Uniqueness of Grief in Community On the Resilient Birth podcast, Justine and Sarah explore the impact of trauma across the perinatal period, from trying-to-conceive to pregnancy, from childbirth to postpartum and parenting. Through an inspirational quote that drives our weekly conversations about trauma and healing, Justine and Sarah explore topics such as birth trauma, parenting as a survivor, and finding healing with vulnerability and compassion that support birthing people and birth professionals. Each week, listeners leave with takeaways to utilize in their lives and/or clients. Justine and Sarah hold the stories they share with honor and respect with the hope to impart knowledge, increase understanding, and bear witness to this challenging topic. Sarah is a licensed mental health counselor, educator, and mom of three. She walks with a story of trauma from before and as a result of her perinatal experience. Justine supports survivors of trauma through perinatal coaching and childbirth education. As well as being a mother of three, she holds a Ph.D. on representations of consent and sexual violence and is currently working towards a Masters in Counselling. Learn more about Sarah and Justine's trainings: https://www.resilientbirth.com/workshops Jennifer Jamieson is a bereaved mother and advocate for families who have also suffered the loss of a baby. She volunteers as a grief group peer facilitator in person for various types of pregnancy and infant losses, and as well as provides phone and online support to parents who have experienced miscarriage or stillbirth. Alongside other volunteers in her community, Jennifer co-hosts events such as remembrance walks in honour of these babies and holds a Wave of Light each year on October 15th, International Pregnancy And Infant Loss Awareness Day.