Straits Times feature on grief - 7 October 2026
My life was inevitably touched by grief when I experienced a significant and personal loss of a loved one few years back. Since then, grief has become more intimate and a permanent inhabitant in my life - and for sure, loss offered me a first-hand experience and deeper understanding to grief, than before.
As I journeyed through my grief, I sought out knowledge and training on grief to get myself educated. Learning more about it validated my experience and gave me some comfort. This started out as my attempt to help myself through my own grief journey. The more knowledge I gleaned, the more I gained - in awareness, purpose and hope. It soon became a mission to equip others whom I have the pleasure of working with, with appropriate language and tools to aid in their grief journeys. I am honoured to be able to do so, in my capacity as a clinical psychologist and a certified grief educator.
Grief literacy is understandably lower in Asian societies like Singapore, than in other countries. This can be in part due to how grief and loss can be considered taboo topics in Asian contexts. I am also hoping to use my learning to spread awareness through public education. For instance, I have documented grief-related contents under "sparks of ideas" in this website as well as through my posts and reels in Instagram (link to my instagram account). Relatedly, when this timely opportunity to share insights about this topic came up, I gladly collaborated with Straits Times correspondent Ms Akshita Nanda. The link to the feature on Straits Times : https://www.straitstimes.com/life/nobody-can-dictate-what-your-grief-looks-like-how-grief-literacy-can-help-you-through-loss?ref=top-stories
Relatedly, do check out my latest blog post on grief: https://www.brightpsychoflife.com.sg/post/grieving-the-loss-holding-the-love
An increasingly grief-literate society can make for a more conducive environment for those grieving. And this is especially hopeful for an ageing society in Singapore.
Let’s create ripples of change towards that. Do kindly share this with anyone who may benefit from this.
Rooting for you always,
Jeanice
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