Lesel Dawson
@leseldawson.bsky.social
Associate Professor of Literature & Culture at the University of Bristol
Arts and Culture Lead of the Good Grief Festival
I am interested in the relationship between grief & creativity, early modern literature, the history of the emotions & gender.
Arts and Culture Lead of the Good Grief Festival
I am interested in the relationship between grief & creativity, early modern literature, the history of the emotions & gender.
Reposted by Lesel Dawson
We are delighted to announce our new seminar series showcasing inspiring research & scholarship – locally, nationally & internationally – to connect Bristol to a global conversation about grief & loss.
To find out more & join our mailing list, visit griefcentre.bristol.ac.uk
To find out more & join our mailing list, visit griefcentre.bristol.ac.uk
July 14, 2025 at 1:41 PM
We are delighted to announce our new seminar series showcasing inspiring research & scholarship – locally, nationally & internationally – to connect Bristol to a global conversation about grief & loss.
To find out more & join our mailing list, visit griefcentre.bristol.ac.uk
To find out more & join our mailing list, visit griefcentre.bristol.ac.uk
Reposted by Lesel Dawson
Why do we turn to creativity during grief? How can it help us connect to others, including people who have died? On 6 Oct, join Natalia Millman, Helen Acklam & @carrieetter.bsky.social to explore what it means to make art from pain & loss & share our story: www.ticketsource.co.uk/goodgrieffes...
September 27, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Why do we turn to creativity during grief? How can it help us connect to others, including people who have died? On 6 Oct, join Natalia Millman, Helen Acklam & @carrieetter.bsky.social to explore what it means to make art from pain & loss & share our story: www.ticketsource.co.uk/goodgrieffes...
Reposted by Lesel Dawson
Grief affects us all, and yet people often struggle to talk about death & dying. 🦋
@goodgrieffest.bsky.social is a social venture spinout at @bristoluni.bsky.social that brings people together to talk about death & grief, providing information, support & a sense of community
More 👉 brnw.ch/21wVqxR
@goodgrieffest.bsky.social is a social venture spinout at @bristoluni.bsky.social that brings people together to talk about death & grief, providing information, support & a sense of community
More 👉 brnw.ch/21wVqxR
September 3, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Grief affects us all, and yet people often struggle to talk about death & dying. 🦋
@goodgrieffest.bsky.social is a social venture spinout at @bristoluni.bsky.social that brings people together to talk about death & grief, providing information, support & a sense of community
More 👉 brnw.ch/21wVqxR
@goodgrieffest.bsky.social is a social venture spinout at @bristoluni.bsky.social that brings people together to talk about death & grief, providing information, support & a sense of community
More 👉 brnw.ch/21wVqxR
Reposted by Lesel Dawson
Our next seminar is next Weds! Sign up now to hear @mollyconisbee.bsky.social @cendeathsociety.bsky.social explore how her research into grief through history has influenced her counselling work. We can't wait!
www.goodgrieffest.com/events/uob-g...
@leseldawson.bsky.social @lucyselman.bsky.social
www.goodgrieffest.com/events/uob-g...
@leseldawson.bsky.social @lucyselman.bsky.social
September 4, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Our next seminar is next Weds! Sign up now to hear @mollyconisbee.bsky.social @cendeathsociety.bsky.social explore how her research into grief through history has influenced her counselling work. We can't wait!
www.goodgrieffest.com/events/uob-g...
@leseldawson.bsky.social @lucyselman.bsky.social
www.goodgrieffest.com/events/uob-g...
@leseldawson.bsky.social @lucyselman.bsky.social
Reposted by Lesel Dawson
Jessica Jacobson from Birkbeck, University of London; & @emilyharrop.bsky.social @cumedicengage.bsky.social.
We can't wait!
We can't wait!
July 14, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Jessica Jacobson from Birkbeck, University of London; & @emilyharrop.bsky.social @cumedicengage.bsky.social.
We can't wait!
We can't wait!
Reposted by Lesel Dawson
Future sessions will feature @mollyconisbee.bsky.social @cendeathsociety.bsky.social @uniofbath.bsky.social; @sbajwah.bsky.social @kingscollegelondon.bsky.social; @catrionamayland.bsky.social @sheffielduni.bsky.social; @leseldawson.bsky.social @bristolunienglish.bsky.social @bristoluni.bsky.social;
July 14, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Thanks to everyone who came to celebrate the launch of @griefcentrebris.bsky.social! We hope the Centre will make a real difference—bringing together research from many disciplines to deepen our understanding of grief, death, & loss, to improve people’s experiences of these universal parts of life.
Thanks to everyone who came to the launch of the Bristol Centre for Grief Research & Engagement. It was great to celebrate the new centre with colleagues, friends & collaborators. Together we hope to change the way that grief is seen, spoken about & supported. More photos coming soon!
July 3, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Thanks to everyone who came to celebrate the launch of @griefcentrebris.bsky.social! We hope the Centre will make a real difference—bringing together research from many disciplines to deepen our understanding of grief, death, & loss, to improve people’s experiences of these universal parts of life.
Reposted by Lesel Dawson
Thanks to everyone who came to the launch of the Bristol Centre for Grief Research & Engagement. It was great to celebrate the new centre with colleagues, friends & collaborators. Together we hope to change the way that grief is seen, spoken about & supported. More photos coming soon!
July 3, 2025 at 10:09 AM
Thanks to everyone who came to the launch of the Bristol Centre for Grief Research & Engagement. It was great to celebrate the new centre with colleagues, friends & collaborators. Together we hope to change the way that grief is seen, spoken about & supported. More photos coming soon!
Reposted by Lesel Dawson
Grief and death affect us all & yet we often struggle to talk about them. The anxieties can be greater for people with learning disabilities & their families, friends & carers. Check out our blog, resource list & webinar here: www.goodgrieffest.com/journal/grie...
June 25, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Grief and death affect us all & yet we often struggle to talk about them. The anxieties can be greater for people with learning disabilities & their families, friends & carers. Check out our blog, resource list & webinar here: www.goodgrieffest.com/journal/grie...
Thanks to everyone at @stmhospice.bsky.social & 18 Hours for a great kick off to Good Grief Hastings! @goodgrieffest.bsky.social will be part of the @coastalcch.bsky.social project, which uses creative approaches to address health inequalities.
It was exciting to attend the 'soft launch' of Good Grief Hastings & meet some of the brilliant people who are working to make it happen as part of the @coastalcch.bsky.social project. We can't wait for 2026!
@stmhospice.bsky.social @eastsussexcc.bsky.social @uniofbrighton.bsky.social
@stmhospice.bsky.social @eastsussexcc.bsky.social @uniofbrighton.bsky.social
June 17, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Thanks to everyone at @stmhospice.bsky.social & 18 Hours for a great kick off to Good Grief Hastings! @goodgrieffest.bsky.social will be part of the @coastalcch.bsky.social project, which uses creative approaches to address health inequalities.
Reposted by Lesel Dawson
We are sorry to share the news that author & Good Grief Festival contributor Anne Mayer Bird has died. In this blog, Anne's daughter @mayeroflondon.bsky.social shares her eulogy & reflects on how their relationship was impacted by their shared experience of grief. Visit our website to read more
Good Grief: A Tribute to Anne Mayer Bird by Catherine Mayer - Good Grief
www.goodgrieffest.com
June 14, 2025 at 9:46 AM
We are sorry to share the news that author & Good Grief Festival contributor Anne Mayer Bird has died. In this blog, Anne's daughter @mayeroflondon.bsky.social shares her eulogy & reflects on how their relationship was impacted by their shared experience of grief. Visit our website to read more
Reposted by Lesel Dawson
It was a huge honour to welcome the fabulous @drkathrynmannix.bsky.social to Bristol Uni for the first ever @griefcentrebris.bsky.social & @goodgrieffest.bsky.social event.
Thank you so much to everyone who joined us -- here are some snaps of the day
Thank you so much to everyone who joined us -- here are some snaps of the day
May 16, 2025 at 12:15 PM
It was a huge honour to welcome the fabulous @drkathrynmannix.bsky.social to Bristol Uni for the first ever @griefcentrebris.bsky.social & @goodgrieffest.bsky.social event.
Thank you so much to everyone who joined us -- here are some snaps of the day
Thank you so much to everyone who joined us -- here are some snaps of the day
There is still time to sign up for this free
@goodgrieffest.bsky.social webinar with Robert Neimeyer, taking place at 7pm tomorrow night. ♥️
@goodgrieffest.bsky.social webinar with Robert Neimeyer, taking place at 7pm tomorrow night. ♥️
#DyingMattersAwarenessWeek may be nearly over but we have one more online event tomorrow (Monday) at 7pm. Join us to hear the ever-insightful Prof. Robert Neimeyer talk about how we can rebuild a meaningful life after it has been shattered by bereavement: www.ticketsource.co.uk/goodgrieffes...
May 11, 2025 at 3:26 PM
There is still time to sign up for this free
@goodgrieffest.bsky.social webinar with Robert Neimeyer, taking place at 7pm tomorrow night. ♥️
@goodgrieffest.bsky.social webinar with Robert Neimeyer, taking place at 7pm tomorrow night. ♥️
Reposted by Lesel Dawson
New on YouTube! We're excited to share We Need to Talk About Death, a 15-min film co-created by biggerhousefilm & adults w/ learning disabilities. We'll discuss it at our free online panel w/ Irene Tuffrey-Wijne & Stephen Clarke #DyingMattersAwarenessWeek
www.ticketsource.co.uk/goodgrieffes...
www.ticketsource.co.uk/goodgrieffes...
May 5, 2025 at 3:40 PM
New on YouTube! We're excited to share We Need to Talk About Death, a 15-min film co-created by biggerhousefilm & adults w/ learning disabilities. We'll discuss it at our free online panel w/ Irene Tuffrey-Wijne & Stephen Clarke #DyingMattersAwarenessWeek
www.ticketsource.co.uk/goodgrieffes...
www.ticketsource.co.uk/goodgrieffes...
Reposted by Lesel Dawson
On grief and memory: "When she died, she took the memory of not one but two childhoods with her – in all their vivid, silly, scattered, doesn’t-matter-but-it-does detail. I feel as though I have lost a witness, someone who can attest to what happened to us both." www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
When my sister died, it wasn’t just her own childhood memories that disappeared. Mine did too | Jason Hazeley
Millie had fantastic recall, unlike mine. Now there are parts of my past – and myself – that I’ll never be able to remember, says comedy writer Jason Hazeley
www.theguardian.com
April 14, 2025 at 2:08 PM
On grief and memory: "When she died, she took the memory of not one but two childhoods with her – in all their vivid, silly, scattered, doesn’t-matter-but-it-does detail. I feel as though I have lost a witness, someone who can attest to what happened to us both." www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Big news!❤️
Today we're launching The Bristol Centre for Grief Research & Engagement @griefcentrebris.bsky.social.
Together we'll develop social, creative & policy interventions to change the way grief is seen, supported & spoken about, helping to build more compassionate, connected communities.
Today we're launching The Bristol Centre for Grief Research & Engagement @griefcentrebris.bsky.social.
Together we'll develop social, creative & policy interventions to change the way grief is seen, supported & spoken about, helping to build more compassionate, connected communities.
The Bristol Centre for Grief Research & Engagement launches today! Based @bristoluni.bsky.social, our interdisciplinary & multidisciplinary research into grief, death & loss aims to increase understanding of these fundamental aspects of being human. griefcentre.bristol.ac.uk
April 24, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Big news!❤️
Today we're launching The Bristol Centre for Grief Research & Engagement @griefcentrebris.bsky.social.
Together we'll develop social, creative & policy interventions to change the way grief is seen, supported & spoken about, helping to build more compassionate, connected communities.
Today we're launching The Bristol Centre for Grief Research & Engagement @griefcentrebris.bsky.social.
Together we'll develop social, creative & policy interventions to change the way grief is seen, supported & spoken about, helping to build more compassionate, connected communities.
Reposted by Lesel Dawson
Mary-Frances O'Connor @doctormfoconnor.bsky.social is an expert on the myriad ways that grief affects us physically & mentally. We can't wait to hear her insights at our free webinar on Weds (23 April).
Sign up (& share any questions you'd like us to ask) here: ticketsource.co.uk/goodgrieffes...
Sign up (& share any questions you'd like us to ask) here: ticketsource.co.uk/goodgrieffes...
April 19, 2025 at 10:07 AM
Mary-Frances O'Connor @doctormfoconnor.bsky.social is an expert on the myriad ways that grief affects us physically & mentally. We can't wait to hear her insights at our free webinar on Weds (23 April).
Sign up (& share any questions you'd like us to ask) here: ticketsource.co.uk/goodgrieffes...
Sign up (& share any questions you'd like us to ask) here: ticketsource.co.uk/goodgrieffes...
Reposted by Lesel Dawson
How does grief affect us physically? Join us for a webinar w/ brilliant neuroscientist @doctormfoconnor.bsky.social in conversation w/ @leseldawson.bsky.social. We'll celebrate Mary-Frances's new book & explore how to support our bodies & minds during grief: www.ticketsource.co.uk/goodgrieffes...
April 10, 2025 at 2:41 PM
How does grief affect us physically? Join us for a webinar w/ brilliant neuroscientist @doctormfoconnor.bsky.social in conversation w/ @leseldawson.bsky.social. We'll celebrate Mary-Frances's new book & explore how to support our bodies & minds during grief: www.ticketsource.co.uk/goodgrieffes...
Thanks to everyone on the #Shax2025 Grieving in Shakespeare's World panel for a fascinating seminar! Kaara & I really enjoyed meeting everyone & thinking in new ways about grief, loss, memory & memorialisation (and of course Hamlet, which featured quite a bit)! @saaupdates.bsky.social
March 26, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Thanks to everyone on the #Shax2025 Grieving in Shakespeare's World panel for a fascinating seminar! Kaara & I really enjoyed meeting everyone & thinking in new ways about grief, loss, memory & memorialisation (and of course Hamlet, which featured quite a bit)! @saaupdates.bsky.social
Reposted by Lesel Dawson
On 9 May, @drkathrynmannix.bsky.social will join Andrew Blades for a lunchtime chat @bristoluni.bsky.social. Sharing insights from a palliative care career, she'll explore the power of learning what matters most & how to truly listen #DyingMattersAwarenessWeek www.ticketsource.co.uk/goodgrieffes...
March 22, 2025 at 12:02 PM
On 9 May, @drkathrynmannix.bsky.social will join Andrew Blades for a lunchtime chat @bristoluni.bsky.social. Sharing insights from a palliative care career, she'll explore the power of learning what matters most & how to truly listen #DyingMattersAwarenessWeek www.ticketsource.co.uk/goodgrieffes...
Thanks to @astridswan.bsky.social for inviting me to 'Embodied Knowledge: Interdisciplinary Intersections in Medical Humanities' @helsinki.fi . It was a terrific event w/ a huge range of fascinating papers. I learned lots, made new friends & had a wonderful & inspiring time. 🤩
March 15, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Thanks to @astridswan.bsky.social for inviting me to 'Embodied Knowledge: Interdisciplinary Intersections in Medical Humanities' @helsinki.fi . It was a terrific event w/ a huge range of fascinating papers. I learned lots, made new friends & had a wonderful & inspiring time. 🤩
Reposted by Lesel Dawson
Death is as natural as childbirth; yet, we often do anything we can to avoid talking about it. For #DyingMattersAwarenessWeek in May, we're excited to welcome the incredible @drkathrynmannix.bsky.social to #WestonSuperMare for a very special interview w/ @lucyselman.bsky.social
March 14, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Death is as natural as childbirth; yet, we often do anything we can to avoid talking about it. For #DyingMattersAwarenessWeek in May, we're excited to welcome the incredible @drkathrynmannix.bsky.social to #WestonSuperMare for a very special interview w/ @lucyselman.bsky.social
Reposted by Lesel Dawson
We can't wait for the film adaptation of @raynorwinn.bsky.social's beautiful memoir #TheSaltPath, which will be released on 25 April w an all-star cast. Raynor writes so beautifully about love, grief & the power of nature. Rewatch her interview w @colinbookshaped.bsky.social youtu.be/RfyCJvi7gwM?...
February 24, 2025 at 3:13 PM
We can't wait for the film adaptation of @raynorwinn.bsky.social's beautiful memoir #TheSaltPath, which will be released on 25 April w an all-star cast. Raynor writes so beautifully about love, grief & the power of nature. Rewatch her interview w @colinbookshaped.bsky.social youtu.be/RfyCJvi7gwM?...
Reposted by Lesel Dawson
What is the relationship between trauma & bereavement? Stephen Regel & Hannah Jardine Youell will explore this question in our new course starting this Saturday. It is only £25 for 7 sessions & you can sign up here: checkout.teachable.com/secure/14555...
January 29, 2025 at 11:10 AM
What is the relationship between trauma & bereavement? Stephen Regel & Hannah Jardine Youell will explore this question in our new course starting this Saturday. It is only £25 for 7 sessions & you can sign up here: checkout.teachable.com/secure/14555...
Reposted by Lesel Dawson
The third session of our When Grief Is Complicated course will bring together 2 brilliant women, @doctormfoconnor.bsky.social & Yaa Yeboah-Newton! We're excited for them to discuss Mary-Frances's research on being 'stuck in grief'. There's still time to join us
checkout.teachable.com/secure/14555...
checkout.teachable.com/secure/14555...
January 26, 2025 at 5:00 PM
The third session of our When Grief Is Complicated course will bring together 2 brilliant women, @doctormfoconnor.bsky.social & Yaa Yeboah-Newton! We're excited for them to discuss Mary-Frances's research on being 'stuck in grief'. There's still time to join us
checkout.teachable.com/secure/14555...
checkout.teachable.com/secure/14555...