"So Sorry For Your Loss" - Dina Gachman

Dec 15th, 2023 | Episode 274

Dina Gachman's mother died of cancer in 2018 and less than three years later her sister died of alcoholism. A career journalist, Dina turned to writing as one way to make sense of these world altering losses. She recently published, "So Sorry for Your Loss," a series of essays that combine personal reflections with information she gathered from professionals working in the world of grief.

In this conversation we discuss:

  • How recalling memories of her mom and sister has become less painful
  • Parenting a young child while grieving
  • How she realized she needed additional support
  • Finding comfort in the Continuing Bonds theory
  • When grief feels like agitation
  • Approaching the five-year anniversary of her mother's death
  • How her mom continued to carefor her even as she was dying
  • The expectation vs. reality of hospice care
  • Using humor as a way to cope - and carry on her mom's legacy
  • Grieving two losses in such close succession
  • Recognizing that grief started when her mom was diagnosed, years before her death
  • The gift of growing up in an emotionally expressive family
  • GIEAs - Grief Induced Emotional Avalanches

Dina Gachman is an award-winning journalist, Pulitzer Center Grantee, and a frequent contributor to the New York Times, Vox, Texas Monthly and more. She’s a New York Times bestselling ghostwriter, and the author of Brokenomics: 50 Ways to Live the Dream on a Dime.

Ep 274 GOL

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