5 Ted Talks on Grief
05.12.2019
Be inspired by these speakers who found comfort in transforming grief and sadness into action, art and progress.
How your emotions change the shape of your heart by Sandeep Jauhar
“A record of our emotional life is written on our hearts,” says cardiologist and author Sandeep Jauhar. In a stunning talk, he explores the mysterious ways our emotions impact the health of our hearts — causing them to change shape in response to grief or fear, to literally break in response to emotional heartbreak — and calls for a shift in how we care for our most vital organ.
How my son’s short life made a lasting difference by Sarah Gray
After Sarah Gray’s unborn son Thomas was diagnosed with anencephaly, a terminal condition, she decided to turn her family’s tragedy into an extraordinary gift and donate his organs to scientific research. In this tribute to life and discovery, she shares her journey to find meaning in loss and spreads a message of hope for other grieving families.
Grief and Love in the Animal Kingdom by Barbara J. King
From mourning orcas to distressed elephants, biological anthropologist Barbara J. King has witnessed grief and love across the animal kingdom. In this eye-opening talk, she explains the evidence behind her belief that many animals experience complex emotions, and suggests ways all of us can treat them more ethically — including every time we eat. “Animals don’t grieve exactly like we do, but this doesn’t mean that their grief isn’t real,” she says. “It is real, and it’s searing, and we can see it if we choose.”
A Love Letter to Realism in a Time of Grief by Mark Pollock and Simone George
When faced with life’s toughest circumstances, how should we respond: as an optimist, a realist or something else? In an unforgettable talk, explorer Mark Pollock and human rights lawyer Simone George explore the tension between acceptance and hope in times of grief — and share the groundbreaking work they’re undertaking to cure paralysis.
We Don’t ‘Move On’ from Grief. We Move Forward With It. By Nora McInerny
In a talk that’s by turns heartbreaking and hilarious, writer and podcaster Nora McInerny shares her hard-earned wisdom about life and death. Her candid approach to something that will, let’s face it, affect us all, is as liberating as it is gut-wrenching. Most powerfully, she encourages us to shift how we approach grief. “A grieving person is going to laugh again and smile again,” she says. “They’re going to move forward. But that doesn’t mean that they’ve moved on.”
Good Grief, Bristol (May 11th to 17th 2020) is a new festival to help people talk, think and learn about grief. With dozens of events taking place all over Bristol, Good Grief will bring together speakers, film screenings, exhibitions, workshops, music, spoken word, a pop-up shop and a Memory Kitchen. To find out more, visit our homepage.