Professor shares 'most important thing to do' when someone is grieving
Dr. Lesel Dawson from the University of Bristol emphasizes that the most important action when supporting a grieving person is to simply be present rather than worrying about saying the perfect words. She warns that avoiding conversations about grief can lead to long-term emotional harm.
Why it matters
Provides psychological insight into social support mechanisms and the importance of destigmatizing conversations about death and bereavement.
Image source, Jamie Curtis Image caption, Dr Lesel Dawson encourages bereaved people to talk about their feelings in order to cope with grief
Knowing what to say or how to support someone after a bereavement can be difficult. Fear of saying the wrong thing or intruding at a sensitive time can leave people worried about getting it wrong and avoiding reaching out altogether.
But Dr Lesel Dawson, from the University of Bristol, said this is the worst thing people can do.
Speaking ahead of an annual Good Grief Festival that Dawson is co-director of, she said: "The most important thing when helping someone dealing with grief isn't what you say, but that you don't turn away.
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