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Saying Goodbye

Saying Goodbye

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“Only in the agony of parting do we look into the depths of love.”

George Eliot

This hour-long show is about the mental health benefits and challenges of saying a good goodbye at the end of life. Through stories, we explore different facets of goodbyes, including why so many of us avoid saying goodbye even in the most life-changing moments. We also discuss how initiating a goodbye conversation can make us more emotionally resilient long-term. We combine compelling storytelling with practical expert guidance to give you the tools you need to start your own difficult conversations.

                                                        

Tips & Strategies for Saying a Good Goodbye (PDF)

Listen to Stories From the Episode

Safe Space Radio · Saying Goodbye

Resources

From Our Guests

  • Now You See the Sky 
    Catharine Murray
  • Parenting at a Challenging Time Program
    Paula K. Rauch MD—Massachusetts General Hospital

Further Reading & Listening

Books

  • Bearing the Unbearable
    Joanne Cacciatore
  • It’s Okay That You’re Not Okay: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn’t Understand
    Megan Devine
  • Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End 
    Atul Gawande
  • When Breath Becomes Air
    Paul Kalanithi
  • Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief
    David Kessler
  • On Grief and Grieving 
    Elizabeth Kubler-Ross and David Kessler
  • Hot Young Widow’s Club
    Nora McInerny

Talking to Kids About Saying Goodbye

  • The Invisible String
    Patrice Karst
  • Ida, Always 
    Caron Levis
  • The Goodbye Book
    Todd Parr
  • Helping Kids Grieve
    Sesame Street in Communities
  • Help Me Say Goodbye: Activites for Helping Kids Cope 
    Janis Silverman

Hospice Care & Palliative Care

  • End of Life Care and Saying Goodbye
    Caring.com
  • Helping a Friend Who Is Dying
    Hospice Foundation of America
  • What to Say to Someone Who’s Very Sick
    Hallie Levine—AARP
  • End of Life Care Guide
    Mayo Clinic
  • Providing Care & Comfort at the End of Life 
    National Institute on Aging
  • 20 Stats to Know About Hospice in the U.S.
    Wesley Life
  • When You Can’t Be With a Dying Family Member 
    WYG

Resources Related to COVID-19

  • We’re Going to See What Else the Word Funeral Can Mean
    Jodi Kantor—New York Times
  • Coronavirus is Changing How We Say Goodbye
    Peter Kramer—USA Today
  • My Dad Has Coronavirus—I Don’t Know if I Should Say Goodbye
    Amelia Nierenberg—New York Times
  • How to Grieve a Loved One When You Can’t Say Goodbye
    Lauren Turner & Alice Evans—BBC

Helpful Organizations

  • Actively Moving Forward (AMF) for Young Adults (18-24)
  • Caring Matters
  • Compassionate Friends
  • Cope Foundation
  • David Kessler’s Free Online Grief Group
  • GriefNet
  • Hospice Foundation of America
  • MISS Foundation for Grieving Families
  • National Alliance for Grieving Children
  • National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO)
  • Our House Grief Support Center

We’d love to hear from you! If you have a story about saying goodbye—or a comment for one of our guests—please leave us a voicemail at 617-600-8419.

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Generously supported by:

  • The Annie E. Casey Foundation
  • The Charisma Fund
  • The Equity Fund
  • The Fleming Family Foundation
  • The Hope and Grace Fund
  • Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation
  • The Lerner Foundation
  • The Pinkerton Foundation
  • The Pink House Foundation
  • The Rines Thompson Fund
  • The Sam L. Cohen Foundation

We Can Talk About it!

Thank you for joining us in this work to advance the health of our communities, our families, and ourselves. Safe Space Radio is a federally classified, tax exempt 501(c)(3) organization.

WE SO APPRECIATE YOUR DONATION!

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Safe Space Radio
22 Free St. Suite 402
Portland, ME 04101

207-651-6412
info@safespaceradio.com

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