On May 19, 2026, the Beechwood National Memorial Centre welcomed members of the community for another meaningful evening in Beechwood Cemetery’s ongoing Death Dialogues series. The session, Thanatology 101 – The Good, the Bad and the Beautiful, featured grief educator, Certified Thanatologist, author, and grief doula Dina Bell-Laroche.
The evening focused on one of the most universal yet often avoided human experiences: grief.
Designed to build loss literacy and encourage healthier conversations surrounding death, dying, and bereavement, the event created a thoughtful and compassionate space where participants could reflect openly on the realities of loss and the ways grief shapes individuals, families, and communities.
Drawing from both professional expertise and personal experience, Dina Bell-Laroche guided attendees through the foundations of thanatology, the study of death, dying, and grief, while challenging many of the misconceptions that continue to surround grief in modern society. Her presentation emphasized that grief is not something to be “fixed” or rushed, but rather a natural expression of love and attachment. As explored during the session, grief is often deeply personal, non-linear, and experienced differently by every individual.
One of the evening’s central themes focused on how society often struggles to talk openly about death and loss. The presentation explored how many people feel pressured to “move on,” suppress their pain, or follow unrealistic timelines surrounding grief. Dina encouraged attendees to reconsider these cultural expectations and instead approach grief with greater patience, empathy, and understanding.
The session also explored the concept of disenfranchised grief, losses that are not always publicly acknowledged or socially supported, while recognizing that grief extends far beyond death alone. Discussions touched on both tangible and intangible losses, including identity, relationships, health, belonging, aging, and unrealized hopes or dreams.
Throughout the evening, attendees were reminded that grief affects every aspect of the human experience: emotional, physical, social, cognitive, and spiritual. The presentation reinforced that there is no singular or correct way to grieve, and that individuals often navigate loss through different coping styles, including emotional expression, practical action, reflection, creativity, ritual, and community connection.
Importantly, the conversation also focused on hope and practical support. Dina encouraged participants to approach themselves with gentleness, to seek connection, to spend time in nature, and to recognize that healing does not follow a straight path. The evening closed with an important reminder: “the only right way of navigating this transition, is your way.”
Events like the Death Dialogues continue to reflect Beechwood Cemetery’s growing role as a national leader in grief literacy, public education, and community dialogue surrounding death and remembrance. By creating spaces for honest and respectful conversations, Beechwood continues to help normalize discussions that many individuals and families quietly carry alone.
Be sure to join us for the next session in the Death Dialogues series this September:
The Death Dialogues – Non-Traditional Losses or Living Losses
