# Introduction and trigger warning

- **Episode:** [151](https://agents.truthliesandwork.com/episodes/151.md) (2024-12-05)
- **Type:** intro
- **Tags:** podcast-intro, trigger-warning
- **Time:** 0:33–4:53 (start 33s)
- **Listen:** [https://truthliesandwork.com/151?t=33](https://truthliesandwork.com/151?t=33)

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[0:33] Al Elliott: Nice
[0:37] Leanne Elliott: Hello and welcome to Truth, Lies and Work, the award-winning psychology podcast brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals. My name is Leanne. I'm a chartered psychologist
[0:58] Al Elliott: My name is Al. I'm a business owner
[1:00] Leanne Elliott: And we are here to help you simplify the science of work and create amazing workplace cultures
[1:04] Al Elliott: Welcome, welcome. Hello to you if you're a brand new listener. Now, today might be quite a serious topic, but firstly, it's a very important topic. And secondly, you are going to learn a lot as a leader or HR professional or business owner. Just if you are new, most episodes aren't quite as sombre as this one. But if you have listened before, then welcome back. You know the score. Give me 8 seconds to explain to the newbies how this little podcast works
[1:27] Maria Georgiou: Right
[1:27] Al Elliott: Every Tuesday, we bring you our weekly fix of workplace news, spicy takes from our expert panel, and our famous— world-famous— weekly workplace surgery where I put your questions to Leanne. And every Thursday, just like today, we sit down with someone who's an expert in the workplace and ask them the questions that most podcasters are afraid to ask
[1:44] Leanne Elliott: Before we introduce today's guest, I do have a trigger warning for this episode. We do discuss grief, bereavement, and the challenges of navigating loss in the workplace, particularly during the holiday season. Some listeners may find the content emotionally distressing. addressing. And if you feel this topic might just be too difficult for you right now, we completely understand and encourage you to prioritize your well-being. Press pause, skip this episode, join us next time. Today on the show, we are joined by someone whose story is both deeply moving and incredibly inspiring. Maria Georgiou is a passionate advocate for mental health and well-being with a mission to make these conversations accessible to everybody. Through her business MGAG, she collaborates with individuals, businesses, and communities to create tailored solutions that bring light to often overlooked issues like grief and bereavement in the workplace. Maria's advocacy is rooted in her personal journey. In 2022, Maria faced the unimaginable heartbreak of losing her daughter after years of cancer treatment. Her experience of navigating this profound loss while juggling work and family responsibilities has driven her to break the silence around grief, especially in spaces where it's often brushed side. She's written powerfully about the struggles bereaved parents face, not just in their personal lives but in returning to work environments that often lack the tools or understanding to truly support them. This episode will address unique challenges that grief brings to the workplace, especially as the holiday season can amplify these feelings. With 25% of people reporting that Christmas worsens their mental health, this time of year can be especially difficult for those who have lost loved ones. Today, Maria shares her reflections on loss, the she hopes to see in workplaces when it comes to supporting grieving employees and the importance of open dialogue around mental health
[3:43] Al Elliott: Yeah, so in this episode, we'll answer 3 key questions. Firstly, what should managers be doing to support people who've gone through a bereavement? Secondly, and this is the, this is the one, the question I really want to hear the answer to, what do you even say to someone who's experienced loss? And can you actually say the wrong thing? And the spoiler is yes, you can. And thirdly and finally, what plans or policies can you put in place at work to help someone return to work from a bereavement. So let's join the interview where we meet Maria and hear her story, and then learn what it's like returning to work after such a difficult time
[4:17] Maria Georgiou: I'm Maria. I am self-employed. I run a little company which focuses on education, training, and in particular supporting people and employees with bereavement and wellness. I talk a lot about issues that are really important to me that I know that, that I know people don't necessarily want to talk about or that they shy away from. So I'm quite vocal about things that I think really matter and that we keep inside us because we're too scared to mention it