Child Loss: Grieving As A Couple

/
Child Loss: Grieving As A Couple

While grief and loss are a normal part of life, the death of a child is unimaginable. It goes against the natural order of things- a parent is not supposed to outlive their child. Experiencing the loss of a child changes every part of your world, both who you are and how you see yourself in it. In the first few weeks and months, parents have shared feeling like they are in a fog or numb. As months grow on, the intensity of emotions can feel overwhelming and disorienting. Contrary to what society may say, the pain does not go away after a year or some defined stage, it is a lifelong unfolding journey. While grief shifts and changes over time, it can feel unpredictable, like waves crashing in the ocean.  Many people struggle to know who they can talk with about their grief experience. Some parents long for spaces to talk about their child and hear their child’s name spoken out loud. Some friends and family may be uncomfortable talking about the child who died or worry that continue talking about it is a sign that someone is not “moving on”. This can create feelings of loneliness and isolation, feeling like your emotions are too big for others to carry. During this time, many parents worry about the impact their grief journey will have on them not only on them individually, but also their relationship as a couple.

Read More

7 Tips To Discuss Grief with Your Children

/
7 Tips To Discuss Grief with Your Children

Grief– a single word that holds so much meaning. It is complicated, overwhelming, and painful. It tends to be a taboo topic that most people avoid. Unfortunately, it is also an inevitable part of life that we are not exempt from at any age. Despite our desire to avoid it and not talk about it, it is our responsibility as adults to facilitate conversations and encourage healthy grieving processes for kids of all ages. However, our discomfort and society’s myths often get in the way of these helpful and healing conversations. 

Read More

We Are All Living In Loss and Grief

/
We Are All Living In Loss and Grief

As I sit with my clients I often hear “ I feel so heartbroken” or “ I feel out of sorts and I can’t explain it”, and as we talk more it becomes apparent that they are dealing with a loss and then experiencing grief from that loss. Often we think that grief and loss come only from the actual death of someone and forget that we experience all sorts of losses that we then grieve. I would like to look at how we all experience grief and loss in our lives on a regular basis and what that looks like and how we can manage it.

Read More

5 Ways to Face Father's Day

/
5 Ways to Face Father's Day

Sadly, many people are missing their dads even more as we approach Father’s Day.  Perhaps, this is their first Father’s Day without their Dad or the umpteenth Father’s Day missing their Dad.  Either way, the pain is very real and my heart aches for them.  People can miss their Dad due to ongoing social distancing, death of their Dad, loss of a relationship with their Dad, or loss of who their Dad truly is and was due to Alzheimer’s Disease or Dementia.

Read More

5 Tips On Surviving Mother’s Day When You Miss Your Mom

/
5 Tips On Surviving Mother’s Day When You Miss Your Mom

When many people think of Mother’s Day, they often visualize beautiful flowers, heart felt cards, candy, and a special meal with their moms.  This is a great way to think about Mother’s Day!  However, for many of us, Mother’s Day brings about an increased sense of sadness.  Many people, like myself, no longer have their mom due to death.   Others do not have their mom with them due to other reasons such as incarceration, never knowing their mom, being estranged from their mom, or their mom no longer being cognitively or emotionally there such as having Alzheimer’s Disease.  No matter the reason, not having your mom is very painful, especially around Mother’s Day.  

Read More