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The Science of Loss and Recovery | Mary-Frances O’Connor

May 11, 2022

Mary-Frances O’Connor, an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology and author of "The Grieving Brain," shares her insights on grief stemming from various forms of loss. She differentiates between grief and mourning while discussing how her Buddhist practice shapes her view on grief's impermanence. O’Connor emphasizes the importance of diverse coping strategies and explores prolonged grief disorder, especially relevant during the pandemic. Her reflections reveal grief as a profound teacher of empathy and resilience.

01:06:42

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Episode guests

Mary-Frances O'Connor

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Episode notes

Intro

3min

Exploring the Intersection of Grief and Happiness

2min

Navigating Grief and Growth

5min

Navigating Grief: Buddhism and Neuroscience

18min

The Evolutionary Perspectives on Grief and Attachment

4min

The Dual Nature of Grief

16min

Navigating the Complexities of Grief

4min

Understanding Grief and Its Complexities

18min

Exploring the Neuroscience of Grief and Love

2min

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Very few of us will live a life without loss.

As part of our Mental Health Reboot series in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, this week’s episodes talk a lot about grieving. Mary-Frances O’Connor, an expert in bereavement research, explores the science of how we grieve and experience loss, whether it’s a job or a loved one.

Mary-Frances O'Connor is an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Arizona, where she is also the Director of Clinical Training. And she is the author of a book called The Grieving Brain.

In this episode we talk about:

The distinction between grief and grieving
How her Buddhist practice has influenced her understanding of grief
Whether or not we can ever quote/unquote “get over it”
Why she argues for “a really big toolkit of coping strategies”
How to understand the work of Elizabeth Kübler-Ross today
What grieving looks like in a pandemic
What to say to people who are grieving
The new diagnosis of prolonged grief disorder

Content Warning: Brief mention of suicide.

Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/mary-frances-oconnor-450

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