Jodie Atkinson - Loss And Grief Support

I know a lot of people find this time of year incredibly difficult and the word strong comes up A LOT!

It is either people telling a griever to be strong, stay strong or the individual grieving is trying their hardest to stay strong for others and it feels like the most confusing and difficult thing to do.

And there is good reason for that - it is for most, undoable. Many people say they try to stay strong, but it is so hard. Others will say they just don't feel strong at all and feel misunderstood and that their feelings are invalid. Some just get tired of being told what they should or should not feel or what they should or should not do by people who have absolutely no idea what they are going through.

So can we stop telling people to be strong. What you communicate when you say that is 'uncomfortable feelings of grief should be sucked up or suppressed'. They try so desperately to hold it together that they question if there is something wrong with them because they aren't able to do what people tell them. Grief is hard enough without adding the pressure of trying to do the undoable and question if they are "grieving right".

Grief is a normal and natural human reaction to loss.

Can we just let people be human.

So incredibly accurate. We don't see grief being more than the death of someone or a relationship ending.

"Once you see that grief is actually the missing piece of the puzzle, it changes everything.

You start to realize how much our culture does not understand grief yet. We act like the only “real grievers” are people whose person died a few months ago, but the truth is that almost everyone around you is carrying unresolved grief from their past.

The people in the coffee shop, the cars on the highway, the faces in the grocery store aisle, all moving through life with unspoken losses that quietly affect their choices, relationships, and health. It is wild how comfortable we are using words like anxiety, trauma, and stress, yet how uncomfortable and even afraid we are to say the word grief.

That is exactly why I keep talking about it and why I love The Grief Recovery Method. Naming grief for what it really is does not make things worse; it finally gives you a path to healing. When you have tools to address unresolved grief, life stops feeling so confusing and heavy, and you can begin to respond from clarity instead of pain. If something in you recognizes this, you do not have to ignore it. You can start learning this work and give your heart the language and support it has needed for a long time."

Once you see that grief is actually the missing piece of the puzzle, it changes everything.  You start to realize how much our culture does not understand grief yet. We act like the only “real grievers” are people whose person died a few months ago, but the truth is that almost everyone around you is carrying unresolved grief from their past.  The people in the coffee shop, the cars on the highway, the faces in the grocery store aisle, all moving through life with unspoken losses that quietly affect their choices, relationships, and health. It is wild how comfortable we are using words like anxiety, trauma, and stress, yet how uncomfortable and even afraid we are to say the word grief. That is exactly why I keep talking about it and why I love The Grief Recovery Method. Naming grief for what it really is does not make things worse; it finally gives you a path to healing. When you have tools to address unresolved grief, life stops feeling so confusing and heavy, and you can begin to respond from clarity instead of pain. If something in you recognizes this, you do not have to ignore it. You can start learning this work and give your heart the language and support it has needed for a long time.

Going on air with Dave at Coast FM this morning.
Tune in 88.7 FM

Checking in -
How are we going with only a few days left before Christmas?

It can all get a bit overwhelming...

Going to the shopping centre can feel like you are taking your life into your own hands, it is frantic!

The calendar fills up, and you are trying desperately not to double-book yourself!

There are so many competing priorities!

The gifts, the food, the plans, the travel arrangements....ugh!

And if you are feeling the deep loss of someone or something at this time of year, it can all feel like PRESSURE you don't need. Pressure to "get on with it", pressure to go along with what has been planned, pressure to not break down in tears all the time, pressure of the anticipation of the day.

It does not feel jolly, merry and bright. And I feel for you, I really do.

Now, I want to offer some small tips to help you get through... and I know all too well that can feel unachievable.

Step out of the chaos and give yourself some downtime. Don't take on more than you feel you are capable of. And that means if you need to limit your time around others, then do it!

Listen to your body and rest when you need it. It is ok to say "no" to others because you are saying "yes" to you.

Enlist some support by asking a family member or friend to help you navigate the events and lean on them to help you maintain your boundaries to preserve your energy, to talk to about how you are feeling and takeover when you feel you can't deal with it.

Implement a plan for your Christmas commitments, that way you are not in free-fall waiting for something to happen and not being prepared..... and you can always change your mind if you want to.

Remember you are grieving - you are allowed to have your feelings, and they don't just stop because everyone else might be feeling festive. Grief is unpredictable and can be especially so at this time of year. It will be a guest at the table, too. Accept that it will, be gentle with yourself and set a place for it.

I wish you love, support and to feel safe this Christmas.

Take care, from my heart to yours

Jodie
xx

🦋

And just like that here we are gearing up for Adelaide Fringe 2026!

I am excited to bring "Have You Met My Grief?" to the 2026 program at Plant 4 Bowden again! 3 shows only - 22, 24 Feb & 8 Mar.

LOOK....

It begins today for Bank SA cardholders and Fringe Members!

You get 2for1 tickets as part of the Double Your Fun Campaign - from 9am TODAY, thanks to BANK SA Presale!

Click link below to get all the show details and take advantage of this AMAZING offer!


BankSA

https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/have-you-met-my-grief-af2026

It can be difficult to know how to support someone who is grieving a devastating loss, especially at Christmas time. The festive season can become incredibly overwhelming for them, and if you feel like you don't know what to say and do, I would like to help. I may have a solution for you.

I remember how I felt when a friend of mine gave me a book about grief for my birthday, just 3 months after my husband died. Some people thought it was "weird" and others were shocked that she would do that.

I felt seen, heard, and supported. I felt like she really cared and I was so grateful - it is still a most treasured gift.

When I wrote "Have You Met My Grief?" I wanted my book to be the thing that people found helpful, so they could feel, seen, heard and supported, like I was. To be something that normalised and validated their thoughts, feelings and behavior.

Consider it a gift for someone this Christmas - and I will not only personalise it for them, I will also gift wrap it and send it on your behalf. All you need to do is provide the information on the order form in "Notes" section and I will do the rest.

You can order a copy here

https://jodie-atkinson.com.au/my-book/

Let me know if this has been helpful.

From my heart to yours

Jodie

As the festive season is upon us it is a timely reminder that while many find it exciting and "the most wonderful time of the year" it can become a slippery slope for many navigating life after loss of all kinds.

Some are missing loved ones, and others may be grieving the unrealised hopes, dreams, expectations and the want for better or different familial relationships.

It can be overwhelming at this time of year with television ads, Christmas carols, the smells of popular foods and end of year gatherings filling up the calendar.

So here are some tips for anyone looking for a toolkit to get through if-

you have plans for Christmas and how you are spending this time

you are worried about Christmas Day

you are feeling overwhelmed

you are not ok and don't feel supported

It is perfectly normal to have conflicting emotions about Christmas, socialising and all the associations we have with this time of year.

One tip I found helpful from other widows in the early days after Craig’s death was to have a plan for the day, (this includes anniversary days and birthdays too).

If you have a plan, you can always change your mind if it doesn't feel right on thr day, but you have something to work with.

If you are going somewhere, perhaps just mention to the host in advance that you are feeling a bit unsure or unsettled going into Christmas and come up with a plan to take time out if you feel like its sensory overload or too stifling.

Have an exit strategy to leave early if needed.

If you are worried about being alone see if you can arrange to stay somewhere or have someone stay with you.

And if necessary tap out altogether. I did exactly that my first Christmas without Craig...took off to Victor Harbor with my dog for two nights, drove down Christmas Eve, came home Boxing Day.

For friends and family be sure to check on those in your life going through a hard time this Christmss and reach out to them. It can be such a lonely time.

If you know someone who is grieving and have invited them to share the day, be sure to remember to set a place for grief....it will be tagging along, too. Just let your person know you are there for them and understand they may be finding it emotionally challenging.

From my heart to yours.

Xx

Grief is hard. Never going to hear me say it's a walk in the park.

There are no rules and timeframes for grief, and it feels like it plays by its own rules. It is messy, exhausting and completely undermines your whole life.

I feel like a lot of grief pages on social media focus on the despair and hopelessness of a situation. And with good reason-to validate the thoughts, feelings and behaviour experienced by so many when they are grieving.

However, I don't seem to see much being done to facilitate a way out of that...for those wanting to move beyond coping mechanisms and strategies.

So I ask you the following...

If the thought of not feeling the painful emotions you associate with your loss makes you feel guilty or uncomfortable in some way, I would really like to connect with you.

If you find yourself falling into a hole around events and special days on the calendar, and you feel like you are struggling, I would like to hear from you.

If you are feeling like what has happened is impacting your relationships, work, health and general daily life, it would be great to have a chat about that.

If you have been carrying your grief for a really long time and can't seem to resolve the feelings you are experiencing, I am here to help.

I can help you change this, if you want to... not to forget, pretend it did not happen, because "it's time". No, absolutely not.

Because what you are carrying is pain, and it is often mistaken for love. There is a misconception that if we don't have this pain, then we lose the connection, and if we aren't connected, then we are somehow unfaithful, disrespectful or disloyal to our person. We are forgetting them and letting them go.

And I am here to tell you that is absolutely untrue.

I want to help you remove the painful association to your loss so you can connect and carry it with you in a different way. In a healthy and positive way that allows you to move forward and reclaim your life of purpose, passion and connection again.

Together we can look at the things that are hard for you, triggering, painful, and keeping you from fully engaging in life.

There is no timeframe. It's never too soon or too late to heal your heart.

Let's talk soon.






Photo credit: Wolff