Shapes of Grief Training Programme

21/06/2026

Happy Father’s Day Dad!
You’re with me every time I step into nature - thank you for fostering my love of the land.

10/06/2026

Most professionals will encounter grief in their work.
Healthcare professionals. Therapists. Educators. Social workers. Leaders.
Yet very few of us receive any formal training in how to respond when grief shows up.
Instead, we learn through experience. Through trial and error. Through moments where we’re not quite sure what to say, but say something anyway.
Or sometimes, say nothing at all.
The challenge is that grief isn’t a problem to solve. It isn’t a situation to fix.
It’s a human experience that requires us to be present in a different way.
This is why grief literacy matters.
Not because we need perfect words or specialist expertise, but because a better understanding of grief helps us feel more confident supporting the people in front of us.
It helps us move beyond the fear of getting it wrong and towards meaningful connection, compassion, and support.
The Shapes of Grief Training Programme was created for professionals who want to deepen their understanding of grief and build confidence in responding to loss, bereavement, and the many forms grief can take.
If you’ve ever felt unprepared for a conversation about grief, this training may be exactly what you’ve been looking for.

04/06/2026

We’re trained for almost every part of our work, except what to say when someone dies.
We’re taught how to manage situations, communicate clearly, and stay composed under pressure.
But rarely are we taught what happens when the situation is grief.
So when someone dies, or when someone is grieving, many professionals are left unsure.
Not because they don’t care but because they don’t feel equipped.
And when we feel unsure, we often default to what feels safest silence, distance, or carefully measured words that still don’t feel like enough.
The intention is protection.
But the impact can sometimes be the opposite.
Grief doesn’t require perfect language.
It requires a basic level of understanding what we often refer to as grief literacy.
An awareness that presence matters.
That avoidance can deepen isolation.
And that we don’t need the right thing to say to still be helpful.
This is the foundation of the Shapes of Grief Training Programme, designed for professionals who support grieving people in healthcare, education, social care, and related fields, but were never formally trained in how to respond to grief.
For those who feel this gap in their practice, I’m currently offering 15% off on both foundational and professional certifications.
Not to turn professionals into experts in grief.
But to help them feel steadier, clearer, and more confident in the moments where words often fail.

19/05/2026

Yves Sakila. Killed on a Dublin street yesterday, restrained by a group of security guards with excessive force, after allegedly shoplifting. And SO MANY bystanders who were more concerned about filming the incident rather than helping the suffering man. An awful, awful senseless tragedy. 💔

28/04/2026

I accompany bereaved people every day. And so often I hear “I thought we had more time”. There is never enough time, so treasure this moment. .editheger

27/04/2026

Germany, today the trial of the Ulm 5 begins.
Five people, Irish, British, German, Spanish, entered an Elbit Systems factory, in an attempt to stop gen0cide. They have spent nearly eight months in pre-trial detention: up to 23 hours a day in isolation, phone calls monitored, family visits restricted.

Their crime? Attempting to honour the obligation every signatory to the Gen0cide Convention holds, to prevent gen0cide.
Meanwhile, Germany continues to arm a state currently before the International Court of Justice. The asymmetry is breathtaking.
Ireland has not forgotten what it means to be occupied. We have not forgotten what it means when the world looks away. We are watching you, Germany. History is watching you.

A great turnout at the German embassy in Ireland for Daniel and Ulm 5 colleagues today. We must share and amplify this case. 🙌

Nobody should be on trial for trying to prevent gen0cide while those supplying the weapons act with continued impunity. How many more people must die? How many more families destroyed?
Free the Ulm 5.

22/04/2026

Earth day 2026
Oh for peace on earth and care for all beings 🌏

22/04/2026

Stress and grief are often spoken about separately.
But in reality, they are deeply connected.
When someone is grieving — whether through bereavement, separation, illness, or other forms of loss — the body and mind are often under prolonged stress.
The nervous system stays activated.
Sleep may be disrupted.
Emotions can feel unpredictable or overwhelming.
Over time, this can look like chronic stress or even burnout.
For professionals supporting others through grief, this connection becomes even more important.
Because you’re not only witnessing loss —
you’re also holding emotional weight, often without space to process it.
Stress Awareness Month is a reminder that what you’re experiencing may not just be “stress.”
It may be the accumulated impact of grief — your own, and what you carry for others.
Recognising this changes how we respond.
Instead of pushing through, we begin to:

• create space for emotional processing
• set boundaries around what we carry
• understand the limits of our role
• prioritise rest without guilt
Grief doesn’t just affect the heart.
It affects the whole system.
💜 This month is an invitation to recognise the connection — and to care for yourself with the same compassion you offer others.
Take a few minutes to explore a path that suits for you

17/04/2026

I’ll be chatting about my PhD research, in progress, at the Good Grief Festival this Sunday at 1, it’s free but please register in advance.

So if you’re interested in learning about how Forest Therapy might be a support for us after profound loss, please do bring your curiosity along!

https://www.goodgrieffest.com/spring-festival-2026/?

Join Julia Samuel MBE, David Kessler, Joseph Coelho and more for free online events exploring grief, resilience and hope.