Coping with Death: Offering Support Without Fear

Wisdom Wednesday Podcast: Coping with Death

In this week’s Wednesday Wisdom podcast, Alisha addresses how to offer support to those coping with death. Drawing from personal experience and sharing the wisdom that our varied belief systems may make it difficult to offer support. Alisha suggests holding a loving space and opening of the heart; to listen and choose calm, gentle and supportive words.  And to be in the present moment, knowing that death is part of our life cycle and that there is no reason to fear.

Q: What advice would you give for someone, or advice to help me support someone, dealing with death? There is so much fear around death, that it is hard to view it in other ways. It’s also one of those topics that no one knows what to say, so nothing is said.

A: Listen now as Alisha Olivier Park speaks to this question related to coping with death.

Fear of Death

Many people feel uncomfortable offering any type of support for those coping with death – either with a dying person or with  survivors of one who has  passed. They tend to stay away from hospitals or funerals and may offer little comfort because they hold a fear of death within themselves. It may be due to their own pain surrounding death or a strong belief system.

Others may not feel comfortable in expressing themselves yet their love and care for the person in need is great; and it is from this place of love that offers genuine comfort.

Similarly, there are people who hold a deep understanding and acceptance of death without any fear attached; the touch they offer is less in words and more in knowing which provides the greatest comfort.

How does the topic of death make you feel?  Please leave your comments below; Having a conversation about an uncomfortable topic such as coping with death can help to reduce and possibly eliminate the fear surrounding it.

Have a question for Wisdom Wednesday with Alisha?  Ask your question