Some people catch dreams, but others catch grief — holding space for pain, honoring loss, and ensuring no one suffers alone.
Today, host John welcomes Joon Park, a hospital chaplain who has witnessed over 1,000 deaths, for an insightful conversation about being a “grief catcher.” As the author of the book "Take As Long As You Need: Permission to Grieve", Joon shares his unique approach of providing presence and space for those experiencing profound loss, emphasizing that grief is not something to be fixed but to be witnessed. He explores the complex emotional landscape of supporting individuals through their most challenging moments, revealing how chaplains create safe spaces for authentic grieving.
Their conversation also delves into the importance of storytelling, the power of human connection, and how simply being present can be more healing than offering solutions. Joon challenges traditional notions of grief support — giving emphasis on the need to make room for all emotional responses, whether that means singing, crying, or expressing anger.
Don't miss this powerful episode about compassion, vulnerability, and the sacred work of accompanying people through their darkest times. Discover how Grief Is A Language through the profound art of being a grief catcher and how we can all learn to support each other more meaningfully during loss.
KEY POINTS
00:00 – Joon Park’s work as a hospital chaplain and “grief catcher.”
05:29 – How Joon still finds laughter after witnessing over 1,000 deaths.
08:53 – Why grief needs presence instead of fixing.
13:06 – Walking beside someone through the darkness.
14:52 – How grief clichés can add another burden.
21:07 – Creating space for every expression of grief.
23:34 – Helping someone without trying to solve their pain.
31:29 – Why chaplains must release the need for answers.
37:29 – Making room for anger, rage and unexpected grief responses.
53:18 – Carrying the grief home and becoming a safe person.
QUOTES
“Grief catching is also when the expressions of grief, the pain, the sorrow, the gravity of the loss, are so much that I'm vicariously absorbing all the pain that they're experiencing.” – Joon Park
“When we sit with somebody who's grieving, when we see someone's loss, it always reflects back to ourselves mortality and loss, that the abyss is really coming for us all.” – Joon Park
“The unbearable can be made slightly more bearable if you have someone to bear with you.” – Joon Park
"Every diagnosis has a name... except for loneliness." – Joon Park
“Through the gears of this machine that doesn't stop, we can find each other. We can reach through those gears, and we can stretch out our hands for one another.” – Joon Park
GUEST RESOURCES:
J.S. Park
Website | jsparkblog.com
IG | @jspark3000
RESOURCES:
John Onwuchekwa
Website | johno.co
IG | @jawn_o
Grief Is A Language is produced by EPYC Media Network
