Hurricane Helene: Holding Space for Collective Grief

Episode Title: Hurricane Helene: Holding Space for CollectiveGriefBrief Show Summary: Hurricane Helene was a catastrophic storm that brought death and destruction to areas unprepared for her wrath.  In this episode, we invite you to talk about collective grief through the lens of Hurricane Helene, which devastated mountain communities in North Carolina and Tennessee, as well as coastal areas in Florida. Together, we explore the resilience of the survivors who have come together to rebuild, despite tragedy, and contrast this with the harsh judgment online from those far removed from the on-the-ground efforts.Reflect on the importance of holding space for others in times of collective grief, drawing on Heather Plett’s The Art of Holding Space. The power of creating a safe, compassionate space for people to process their pain without judgment or the urge to fix things is emphasized. This episode is a heartfelt reminder that in both individual and collective grief, empathy and connection are what are most important in grief.Episode HighlightsDevastation in the middle of the nightResilience of survivorsReality vs. Online TrollsDistancing Ourselves from TragedyHolding spaceThe Connection between Imagination & EmpathyPersonal insightsPractice empathy and holding spaceConnect with me!Sign Up for the Quarterly Newsletter: https://thegriefcurator.substack.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGriefCuratorIG: https://www.instagram.com/thegriefcurator/  Website: https://thegriefcurator.com/Music: Eulogy | Licensed and Used with Permission ofThrumm, a division of Junius Recording CompanyBibliography"Collective Grief happens affects an entire community or large group. It's common during times of war and after major natural disasters that can have long lasting impacts." (An article on Talkspace.com by Liz Kelly)Podcast Disclaimer: Michelle is not a licensed therapist.  This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. If at any moment in today’s discussion, you feel triggered, or not ready to face these big feelings, take a break, drink some water or tea, and come back to the podcast when you are ready.If you do find that your everyday tasks are becoming impossible, or if you find you’re having suicidal thoughts, please call 988 or your local emergency number, and reach out to your therapist.