Grief doesn't always look like tears.

Sometimes it looks like staying busy so you don't have to think.
Sometimes it looks like drinking a little more than usual, scrolling for hours, overworking, withdrawing from the people you love, or trying to numb the pain in whatever way you can.

In this episode of Grieving Greatly, we explore one of the most misunderstood parts of grief: how coping can slowly become escaping.

Avoidance isn't a sign that you don't care. More often, it's a sign that the pain feels too overwhelming to face. Our brains are wired to protect us, but when temporary protection becomes our long-term strategy, it can keep us stuck and disconnected from the life we want to rebuild.

In this episode, we discuss:
• Why grief often leads to unhealthy coping strategies.
• The difference between coping and escaping.
• How shame and isolation can deepen grief.
• Why healing doesn't require perfection—it begins with one small step.
• Practical, compassionate ways to reconnect with yourself when you feel overwhelmed.

If you've ever wondered why you're struggling to move forward after loss, or if someone you love seems to be "avoiding" their grief, this conversation is for you.

Remember, healing isn't about never struggling. It's about knowing you don't have to struggle alone.

If this episode resonates with you, please follow, rate, and share Grieving Greatly to help others know they're not alone in their grief.

You are enough. You will never be too much.
— Jen Connors 0431212575

Some of the hardest days in grief… are the ones you see coming.
Birthdays. Anniversaries. Holidays. The funeral date. The last conversation. The dates that once meant celebration—and now carry something completely different.

In this episode of Grieving Greatly, we talk about anticipatory grief, how grief keeps time, how your body may react before your mind is ready, and why the “build-up” weeks can be as painful (or more) than the day itself.

We also explore how different people grieve the same loss differently, and how there is no right way to mark these dates—only what feels manageable and true for you.

You are not broken.
Your nervous system is remembering.
And you can survive the day, one moment at a time.

If this episode brings up anything difficult, please reach out for support:

• Grief Australia: 1800 642 066
• Lifeline (Australia): 13 11 14
• Or contact the host directly: 0431 212 575

Harrys Helping Hands Grief & Loss Counselling - Jen Connors 0431212575

One of the hardest parts of grief is learning how to keep living when someone you love is no longer physically here.

For many grieving people, moving forward can feel like a betrayal. We worry that healing means forgetting. We fear that laughter, joy, new experiences, or future plans somehow mean we are leaving our loved one behind.

But what if moving forward isn't about letting go at all?

In this episode, I share my own journey of learning to live after the loss of my son Harry and the powerful realisation that healing doesn't require us to leave our loved ones behind. Instead, we can carry them with us in the way we love, the choices we make, the memories we honour, and the people we become.

In this episode we explore:
• Why moving forward can feel frightening after loss
• The guilt many people experience when life begins to feel lighter
• Continuing bonds and staying connected to those we love
• How grief changes our relationship with the person who died rather than ending it
• Ways to carry their memory forward while still embracing life

If you've ever worried that healing means forgetting, this episode is for you.

Because love doesn't end when someone dies. It simply changes form.

Harrys Helping Hands Grief & Loss Counselling

Jen Connors 0431212575