Saying Goodbye

Safe Space Radio

“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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