Reflections on the European Grief Conference 2024 in Dublin
As a Counselling Psychologist engaging in the field of professional grief, attending the European Grief Conference (EGC) 2024, held at the Croke Park Conference Centre in Dublin, November 11th-13th 2024, was both inspiring and deeply meaningful. Building on the momentum of the inaugural EGC in Copenhagen in 2022, the Dublin gathering demonstrated how grief work continues to evolve across Europe, fostering cross‑disciplinary dialogue, shared research, and compassionate practice.
One of the standout plenary sessions in Dublin featured Tina Graven Østergaard (Denmark), who presented work on Grief in Greenland, offered a powerful account of collaborative social action in a society confronting some of the highest suicide rates globally. Her presentation highlighted how culturally grounded grief initiatives can shape community support structures even in remote contexts, reminding that grief work must always adapt to local realities.
Another vital stream at the conference explored suicide and bereavement through dedicated parallel sessions. The assisted suicide and bereavement theme included presentations such as “Navigating Grief: Assisted Dying and the Impact on Bereaved Families” by Birgit Wagner. A complex and timely topic examining how assisted dying affects those left behind and the emotional terrain they navigate. We participants in the session got to reflect and discuss various areas related to this process, and experience first hand, the complexity of ethics in assisted dying and the multitude of human experiences.
I had the opportunity to deliver an oral presentation on palliative care physicians’ grief experiences in hospice context that is a topic often under‑recognized in grief literature despite its profound impact on clinicians’ wellbeing and practice. Sharing qualitative insights into professional grief opened important conversations about support and reflective practice among caregivers who witness loss daily.
Looking back to EGC 2022 in Copenhagen, where the conference was first launched under the auspices of the Danish National Centre for Grief and Bereavement Network Europe (BNE), it felt clear that the community and scope of the conference have expanded significantly. Copenhagen set the stage for collaborative European grief research and practice; Dublin strengthened that foundation with deeper engagements around suicide bereavement, suicide literacy, and culturally embedded grief work like the Greenland initiatives.
An exciting development emerging from these gatherings is the European Bereavement Network (BNE) that is now a central hub connecting researchers, practitioners, educators, and policy advocates across Europe. Through the network, grief professionals can continue collaborations beyond the conference walls, share resources, and advocate for grief‑informed policy across sectors.
Why Society and Professionals Need Grief Conferences:
Grief conferences such as EGC play a crucial role for several reasons:
Knowledge exchange: They bring cutting‑edge research and real‑world practice into shared learning spaces, bridging academia and frontline work.
Community building: Attendees form supportive professional networks, reducing isolation in a field where emotional labour is significant.
Societal literacy: Presentations on topics like assisted suicide, suicide bereavement, and culturally specific grief help expand public and professional understanding of loss in all its forms.
Cross‑cultural insight: Comparing perspectives — from Greenland to Ireland and beyond — enhances culturally competent care across diverse European contexts.
In sum, the European Grief Conference continues to be a vital forum where grief in personal, professional, and societal spheres, is enfranchised, discussed openly, and addressed collaboratively. It reminds us that grief work is not peripheral but central to human wellbeing, and that shared spaces of inquiry and compassion are essential in a world shaped by loss.