Card categories include:
Activity cards – questions around task-focused help. Remember, it is very important that if you make a promise, do not break it. False promises increase social isolation for the grieving person. Simple acts of service go a long way to support those experiencing grief.
Statement cards – support and sympathy statements. Great for text, messaging and social media support. To be followed with personal contact and a well-being or activity card.
Body language cards – non-verbal responses. Helpful tips on reading the room and acting in a supportive way.
Cards can be used individually or combined to offer a supportive connection. The purpose of the cards is to reduce the sense of social isolation that can accompany grief and improve mental health and emotional wellbeing.
How to use the cards:
- Read through the pack of cards. Find the cards that feel the best for you and suit your daily language, or the words you use.
- Practice speaking the words. It might sound a bit uncomfortable, but speaking the words out loud, to yourself, will train your brain and mouth be able to say the words comfortably. This will increase your confidence in speaking with someone about grief. You can do this in private, or you can silently read the cards a few times over in your mind to yourself. The more we practice saying the words, the more comfortable we become.
- Act. Be brave. Ask a question! If you feel that someone might need support, or is not feeling OK, you are probably right. Be brave and speak up, ask a question. This question could be life-changing for the person. Asking creates acknowledgment of the grief experience, validates the person, and creates a human connection that we all need to help us feel better, and live life with hope.
“Grief is like the ocean; it comes on waves ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim.”
– Vicki Harrison