Grief Connect

20/02/2026

I’m really looking forward to being part of this important community conversation.

Come and chat with me at Think Outside the Box on Thursday 26th February, between 10am and 2pm at the Collie Senior Citizens Centre.

This free event is not your average information session. It is a no fluff, tell it like it is space where real conversations happen about something we all eventually face, the art of a good goodbye.

Grief Connect® is very proud to support this event alongside William Barrett & Sons. Our work is grounded in practical education, honest dialogue, and building confidence in conversations many people avoid. We believe communities are stronger when people feel informed, prepared, and supported.

Whether you are planning ahead, caring for someone, supporting a loved one, or simply curious, this is a safe and grounded place to ask the questions you have been holding back.

Come and find me. Let’s talk openly. Let’s make these conversations easier for families in Collie and beyond.

📍 Collie Senior Citizens Centre
🗓 Thursday 26th February
⏰ 10am to 2pm
☕ Morning tea and sandwiches provided

Grief Connect® is excited to stand alongside other professionals who are committed to equipping our community with knowledge, clarity, and confidence.
I would love to see you there!
Make sure you RSVP or register online if you can make it as there is a lovely morning tea and sandwiches to enjoy.

18/02/2026

Grief at work rarely looks like tears in the lunchroom.

It usually looks like:

• forgetfulness
• irritability
• withdrawal
• slower thinking
• increased mistakes
• presenteeism

Managers often see “performance issues.”

What they don’t see is a nervous system in survival mode.

Grief affects cognition.
It impacts concentration and hazard perception.
It changes how people communicate.

This isn’t weakness.

It’s biology.

When leaders understand this, they stop reacting, and start responding.

That’s where safety, trust, and retention live.

If your organisation supports staff through loss (and every organisation does), I’m happy to share how I help teams navigate this with confidence. Email me at michelle@griefconnect.com.au or send a message and I'll get right back to you.

17/02/2026

Save the date! I'm very excited to be involved this year :)

More information coming soon about speakers & exhibitors. But for now SAVE the DATE!

17/02/2026

1,029,142.

That's the number of widowed people living across Australia.

That's not including the number of family, friends, colleagues and community members impacted by each single death!!!

You never know who you are talking to who has been impacted by grief.

So be kind.

16/02/2026

16/02/2026

Most people meet me through my work. But this work began through my life.

I’m Michelle Moriarty. A social worker, keynote speaker, and founder of Grief Connect®.

I’m also a young widow.

Grief didn’t just break my heart.
It deeply affected my daily functioning. My energy. My concentration. My sense of safety in the world.

I didn’t return to work straight away.

Because grief takes time.
And it takes the right support.

What surprised me most was how invisible all of this is from the outside.

They didn’t see the brain fog, the exhaustion, or the nervous system overload underneath. The enormous energy it took to rock up at work, and try to feel 'normal', when I felt far from that!

But what I did feel, was supported in my grief journey, and that was what made the difference.

That’s why I now support HR teams, people leaders, and organisations.

Because grief doesn’t stop at the workplace door.

It quietly impacts focus, safety, confidence, morale, and retention.

And when leaders understand this, everything changes.

If you lead people and want to build a more human, grief-aware workplace, send a message and I'll get in touch.

14/02/2026

My grieving friend and Valentine’s Day… what can I do to help?

Valentine’s Day can be especially difficult for someone who is widowed.

While the world is celebrating love, they may be quietly carrying memories of what used to be. Shared traditions. Small rituals. The comfort of being someone’s person. Even if they do not mention the date, it can sit heavily in the background.

So if you are wondering what to do, here are practical ways to show up with care:

• Acknowledge the day. A simple message like, “I know this week might be tough, I’m thinking of you,” can ease the sense of invisibility.
• Do not try to fix it. Grief does not need brightening up. It needs understanding.
• Offer gentle options. Invite them for a coffee, a walk, or dinner at home. Give choice, not pressure.
• Expect layered emotions. Sadness, irritability, withdrawal, or even resentment toward other couples are very human responses.
• Be consistent. Support is most powerful when it is steady, not just reactive.

You do not need perfect words. You just need to be willing to notice.

Valentine’s Day might amplify absence for your grieving friend. Your thoughtful presence can soften that edge.

If this is helpful, share it. Someone in your world may be wondering the same thing.

14/02/2026

How to get through Valentine's Day as a widow.
Small things to get through the day.

Follow me for more widow survival tips.

14/02/2026

Widow to widow, happy Valentine’s Day.

In honour of our people who we miss.
In honour of the love that existed and continues to exist.
We honour it. We treasure it.
We will never forget.

I am thinking of you all out there today.

If your grief is heavy, just know you are not alone.
Today will end, and tomorrow will be a new day.
We keep going together x

13/02/2026

Valentine’s Day is not only coming up... it's tomorrow.

For many of us in the Grief Connect® Widowed Support Groups, this is not just another date on the calendar.
It is another event day we face without our person. And event days can feel especially confronting when we are widowed.

While the world leans into romance, celebration, and togetherness, we might find ourselves sitting with the sharp contrast of absence. We miss our person, and wonder how life has taken us down this road.
We can often have memories come up....thinking about the flowers they brought home....the card they chose..... the dinner we shared... the silly private jokes....the small rituals that made the day ours.

If this is you, you may be feeling:

• Deep sadness
• Loneliness
• Anger
• Resentment toward other couples
• Or simply exhausted by it all

If any of that is true for you, that is okay. These responses are not flaws in character. They are reflections of love and loss. For others, we may be able to feel that the day is becoming easier to get through.

No matter where you are at, supporting yourself through Valentines Day and grief is really important.

That might look like:

• Planning something gentle and energy raising so the day does not take you by surprise.
• Distracting yourself with an activity if that feels helpful.
• Choosing to stay home and just being, doing what you need to, without pressure.
• Doing one small, kind thing for yourself (book that massage, take a bath, time with a pet)
• Reaching out so you are not alone..... people around us want to help, let them in and know where you are at.

Being aware of where you are at emotionally gives you choice. You get to decide how you move through this day.

And please remember, you do not have to carry it by yourself!!
If Valentine’s Day feels heavy, post in our Grief Connect® Widowed Support groups.
Share honestly. Let others sit alongside you. We keep going, together.