Izmane Jean-Louis: First Heartbreak: Honoring Eugladie "Sha-Sha" Justine

Izmane Jean-Louis

 

Episode Introduction

Losing a best friend brought Herdyne and Izmane crashing down in life. The emotional shock and sorrow took time to come into acceptance with what was real. In this episode of Redefining grief, Herdyne speaks with her friend and Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Izmane Jean-Louis, about dealing with the death of one of their dearest friends, Shasha.

 

The last conversation they had with her is still fresh in their memory. Izmane speaks about being in disbelief about the tragic news. She was yet in denial and refused to believe until she saw Shasha in person. “No, I have to see her in person to really be a believer because I still had some kind of hope that my friend isn’t gone.”

Herdyne discusses the five anchors of grief to share how her own experiences of heartbreaks helped her come up with them. She shares thinking about Sasha on her wedding day and how she would be her maid of honor if she hadn’t passed away. “And I know if she was still alive, she will be a part of my matron of honor.”

Izmane talks about their grieving process and how they could not receive enough support to channel their despair. We learn the relevance of properly expressing our sentiments. It took time before Herdyne and Izmane could come to terms with the heartbreak. They realized that there was grace in saying goodbye.

Let’s have open discussions about one’s emotions and reflect on the little memories. Join us on this episode today!

 

About Our Guest 

Izmane Jean-Louis is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. She received a Bachelor's in psychology from the University of Florida, then went on and pursued a Master of Arts in Counseling. Izmane is currently a full-time doctoral student in Clinical Psychology at Adler University.

 

Episode Quotes

•  “And then I remember me saying “we'll see you at church on Friday night.” And this is what I will never forget her response. She said “if god is willing”. - Herdyne[13:43]

• “Your grief journey is personal. It's like your own DNA.” –Herdyne [20:28]

• ” What people need to understand is that even when you're grieving, there are bits and moments that will cause you to laugh, and there's nothing wrong with that” –Izmane[30:57].

• “If my friend is really dead, I want to be the one to know. I want to be the one to see and to verify” –Izmane[38:12]

• “ We can create new memories mean you thinking about her, honoring her and honoring her life by living our life.” – Herdyne[43:08]

 

Episode Time-Stamps

• [07:33] - Izmane narrates how she found out about Shasha’s death.
• [23:58] -  Herdyne talks about anchors of grief.
• [26:41] -  Izmane talks about their grieving process after Shasha’s death.
• [39:38] - Herdyne and Izmane talk about how they honored her friend.
• [43:58] - There is beauty in saying goodbye.
• [47:02] - Importance of going back and reflecting the good memories

 

Connect with Izmane

• LinkedIn:   https://www.linkedin.com/in/izmane-jean-louis-lmhc-ncc-a18aaa49

This episode is brought to you by our supportive, informative, and complimentary Grief Crusader Community. Join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GriefCrusader

 

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