Platitudes

01/17/22 • 45 min

Grief is uncomfortable. Our cultural response to seeing a grieving person upset is to say something to cheer them up. Although well-intended, many of the phrases used to try to lift the spirits of a grieving person can be hurtful and confusing. In this episode we discuss some common platitudes heard by grieving people and why they aren’t helpful. Some of the platitudes we discuss include:

“Everything happens for a reason.”

“They’re in a better place.”

“It was God’s plan.”

In this episode, we reference a helpful guide by therapist Whitney Goodman, LMFT. You can follow her on Instagram at @sitwithwhit.

“Everything happens for a reason.”

“They’re in a better place.”

“It was God’s plan.”

In this episode, we reference a helpful guide by therapist Whitney Goodman, LMFT. You can follow her on Instagram at @sitwithwhit.

Previous Episode

Frequently Asked Questions Part 2

Hearing that a friend or family member has lost a loved one can bring up a lot of questions. It is natural to feel curious about the circumstances surrounding someone’s death. While a natural curiosity is harmless, asking intrusive questions can put a grieving person in an uncomfortable situation. In the second part of a two-part series on questions, we give support people alternative questions to ask and responses to hearing about a death that are more sensitive to the grieving person.

You are not entitled to a response or answer to any specific question, but there are other helpful ways to interact with a grieving person.

Next Episode

Grief Support 101

The support person role is integral to a griever. It is natural to want to care for a grieving loved one or friend.

Where do you start? How do you use your gifts to tend to a grieving person? When do you offer your help?

In this episode we talk about some conventional and unconventional ways that we were cared for in our early grief. We also touch on how to check your expectations when supporting a grieving person.