Loss 61/101: Loss of possessions: Naomi Westerman

The Silent Why: finding hope in grief and loss

#125. What impact can possessions have on grief? The lack of them, the loss of them, too many of them etc.

This is The Silent Why, a podcast on a mission to open up conversations around grief, exploring asking if hope can be found in 101 different types of permanent loss.
Loss #61 of 101: Loss of possessions

In this episode we welcome Naomi Westerman, a playwright, screenwriter, and author from South East London. Naomi's experienced profound loss from a young age, and with that, the difficult task of sorting through her loved ones’ possessions.
Naomi shares about the emotional weight of dealing with a parent's belongings after they die, the unexpected and sometimes painful discoveries made during this process, and how our personal experiences, relationships, and circumstances shape the way we interact with these items.
She also talks openly about her two-year journey to sort through her mum’s house and the surprising childhood object she still treasures, and the special jumper she chose for her dad’s burial.
Naomi has also wrestled with the difficult "why" questions that can arise in grief – Why me? Why did this happen? So, she shares with us what has helped her find healing, connection, and hope.
To find out more about Naomi and her book, Happy Death Club, visit:

http://www.naomiwesterman.com
http://www.happydeathclub.org
http://www.instagram.com/naomi_writes_death

Send us a text

Support the show

-----
thesilentwhy.com | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn
What's a Herman? / Buy a Herman - thehermancompany.com
Support the show: buymeacoffee.com/thesilentwhy
Sign-up to my mailing list (only used for sharing news occasionally!): thesilentwhy.com/newsletter
How to talk to the grieving: thesilentwhy.com/post/howtotalktothegrieving
Review the show: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Goodpods
Episode transcripts: thesilentwhy.buzzsprout.com
Thank you for listening.

Chapters

1. Introducing Loss of Possessions (00:00:00)

2. Naomi's Family Losses (00:04:07)

3. Sorting Through What's Left Behind (00:06:54)

4. The Orange Towel & Lost Treasures (00:12:27)

5. How Possessions Connect to Grief (00:23:17)

6. Finding Peace and Hope (00:36:06)

7. Pets as Comfort in Grief (00:47:30)