The Power of Feeling Our Grief with Rev. Dr. Jamie Washington

In this episode, I sit down with the brilliant Rev. Dr. Jamie Washington, President of Washington Consulting Group, to discuss grief, the power of feeling it when we’re in it, and the critical importance of holding space for those grieving…instead of trying to fix, manage, or control their grieving process. Dr. Washington and I dig into our personal experiences with grief and explore how community impacts the grieving process, in addition to how grief shows up differently for folks based on the impact of culture and identity.

 

In this episode, we discuss: 

• Why our Western society tends to be so averse to grief.
• Becoming a safe container for those who are grieving, instead of a “fixer.”
• How grief is related to transformation, not just physical death.
• What “pre-grieving” is.
• Things that you shouldn’t say to someone who is grieving.
• Lessons from legacy and facing our own mortality. 
  

 

About Rev. Dr. Jamie Washington: 

Rev. Dr. Jamie Washington, (He/Him/His) is the President & Founder of the Washington Consulting Group (WCG). The Economist named WCG as one of the Top 10 Global Diversity Consultants in the world. Dr. Washington has served as an educator, administrator, and consultant in higher education for over 36 years. He serves as an invited instructor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the Lancaster Theological Seminary. He is the President and Co-Founder of the Social Justice Training Institute and a Past President of the American College Personnel Association (ACPA).

 

Dr. Washington earned his B.S. degree from Slippery Rock State College; double Master’s of Science degrees from Indiana University/Bloomington; a Ph.D. in College Student Development  from the University of Maryland College Park; and a Master of Divinity from Howard University School of Divinity. He has received many awards and honors. He was honored with the University of Maryland Baltimore County’s Legends of Excellence Award for his contribution to the lives and education of Black and LatinX faculty, staff, and students. In May 2019, he received an honorary Doctor of Business Administration from Shepherd University in West Virginia. He received the 2020 Annuit Coeptis Senior Leader Award from ACPA. He is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, Golden Key, Alpha Phi Omega, Phi Delta Kappa, and a life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.

 

In addition to his work in higher education, Dr. Washington has an extensive list of corporate, non-profit, government, and faith organization clients.  Some of his clients include Starbucks, Wachovia and Wells Fargo, Shell Oil, Boston Bank, Green Peace, Human Rights Campaign, The Taskforce, The Peace Corps, the Government Office of Accountability, The Presbyterian Church International, Metropolitan Community Church, and the Baptist Church Convention.

 

Connect with Jamie + learn more about his purpose-work: 

washingtonconsultinggroup.net 

 

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