Should You Maintain Holiday Traditions After Loss?

Grief is challenging enough to deal with during a normal time, but with the upcoming holidays, your loss may seem more profound. Often the questions arise with my clients as to whether or not to maintain holiday traditions. The truth is whether or not you do, the loss will be … Read More

Grief Part 2 – Stages of Grief

If you’re keeping up with our series on grief, today’s post may feel a bit contradictory. Although there is no set timetable or experience of grief for every person, two models exist that help explain what grief might look like. The stages of grief are not meant to be prescriptive, … Read More

Grief Part 1 – Connecting Grief with Joy

How many of you have ever lost someone? Had an unmet desire or longing? Experienced a heartbreak? Struggled with a medical diagnosis or injury? The reality is that grief is a central part of our daily lives. My first understanding of grief was small. I believed that grief occurred when … Read More

A Mindset of Successful Grieving

When there is a meaningful loss, grief is unavoidable. Whether it is the loss of a mate, a parent, a child, or even a dream, loss is a part of the human condition and, therefore, a universal experience. It is not a question of whether we will experience loss and … Read More

Being Present With Grief

Grief is best served when witnessed by a loving presence.  This is the ointment needed to soothe the wounds of a grieving person, according to renowned grief specialist, David Kessler. Very often, those around the grieving person struggle to find the right words or offer the perfect condolence, in hopes … Read More

“The Bridge Between Suicide and Life”

When someone you know decides to end their life, it is often one of the most painful and mysterious events. Beyond the range of internal responses, such as anger and sadness, there remain so many questions: “Why would they do this?” “How could they abandon their family and friends?” “What … Read More

Emotional Pain: Obstacle or Opportunity?

A natural response to emotional pain for many people (myself included) is to resist or avoid it. This makes sense because emotional pain can feel overwhelming. Predictably, many view emotional pain as an obstacle. For some, exploring difficult painful emotions can feel like a trap. Often with physical pain, we … Read More

Kids Leaving for College Can Feel Like Grief

I was always the Mom who couldn’t wait for summer and more time with my kids.  I loved long days of kids running through sprinklers, endless crafts, and baseball games.  Melancholy would set in around the purchase of school supplies, realizing our unlimited time budget was about to be drastically … Read More

The Complicated Process of Mourning Your Divorce

Mourning the death of a spouse can be incredibly difficult. The loss of a partner, friend, companion, and confidant is so universal that expressions of mourning are expected, and responses of sympathy are instinctive. Neither the surviving spouse, nor the people around them question the need to mourn, nor the … Read More