Good Grief
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A strong HIV response requires healthy and resilient HIV/AIDS organizations with a stable and grounded workforce. Ontario, Canada is fortunate to have an agency whose focus is to strengthen organizational resiliency in the face of loss, grief and transition. Host James Watson sits down with Thomas Egdorf, the Director of the AIDS Bereavement & Resiliency Program of Ontario (ABRPO), to discuss care tools, resiliency strategies and why we should all make time to really check-in.
Our episode guest
Thomas Egdorf
Director, the AIDS Bereavement and Resiliency Program of Ontario (ABRPO)
Thomas Egdorf began working at ABRPO in June of 2018 and has been in the field of HIV for over 25 years, working in a variety of local, provincial and national organizations. Thomas has presented on a range of topics including: grief and loss; biomedical aspects of HIV and Hepatitis C; leadership; communication; organizational governance; nutrition and cooking; and many others. One of his greatest achievements was the development of the Positive Leadership Development Institute (PLDI). In 2010 Thomas was inducted into the Ontario AIDS Network Honour Roll for leadership. He was diagnosed HIV positive in 1993.
More time or more money? Money
Travel alone or with others? Alone
Joy or calm? Joy
Judy Garland or Cher? Judy Garland
The ability to fly or time travel? Fly
Many of us know the loss of a friend, a co-worker, or even a sense of routine and purpose during a global pandemic. But we may not always recognize the toll these gradual or multiple losses take, or what we can do to make the situation better.
That’s what this pozcast episode is all about as host James Watson sits down with Thomas Egdorf, the Director of the AIDS Bereavement & Resiliency Program of Ontario (ABRPO).
There is an illusion that the HIV/AIDS epidemic has ended with access to medication and increased supportive resources, but perpetual stigma, oppression, racism and other systemic factors continue to aggravate feelings of grief and loss felt by communities and organizations across Canada.
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That’s why it is so vital to have strong, healthy and resilient HIV/AIDS organizations with a stable and grounded workforce. Ontario, Canada is fortunate to have an agency whose focus is to strengthen organizational resiliency in the face of loss, grief and transition.
ABRPO provides a compassionate presence and educational support to mitigate the impacts of HIV/AIDS related loss and grief on diverse communities across Ontario. In line with their focus on creating educational tools and interventions that acknowledge and address the impact of peoples’ grief experiences, ABRPO has moved many of its resources online to be accessed by individuals, workplaces and communities—wherever they are.
Specifically, team check-ins and debriefs can now be guided by ABRPO's new online Holistic Check-in tool, a 15-minute module has a little something for everyone. So go check it out!
