Those of us who have lost children know the fear of their memories fading. After saying goodbye to our beloved children, we don’t want to forget their existence — but people are often afraid of saying the wrong thing or…
Every year I like to take a survey of where I stand on my love meter. Am I on the high or the low side this year? How is my relationship with my husband, Phil? With my daughters and their…
Everyone has favorite memories of holidays past: Uncle Larry’s “toast of gratitude,” Grandpa carving the turkey, little Anna’s rendition of “Silent Night.” These moments sparkle in our memory banks and make us look forward to the next November or December,…
Hello fellow bereaved parents, grandparents, and siblings. I am writing this article in anticipation of my attendance at the 42ndNational Conference of The Compassionate Friends (TCF). If you are at the conference or online, I hope you will feel the…
A few years ago, knee-deep in grief, a parent decided to start surprising herself with what she called “happy reminders.” She was tired of walking into her son’s room, looking for something she hadn’t seen before and feeling lost. She…
In the middle of grief, self-care often falls to the bottom of the priority list. With arrangements to be made, bills to pay and a void to fill, we busy ourselves with tasks. Distracting ourselves with washing dishes or putting…
It is hard to believe that it has been thirty years since a single phone call changed my life forever, informing me that my 17-year-old-son, Scott, had been killed in an automobile accident. With those words, my “normal life” as a…
During my over 30 years as a therapist and counselor, I have often been asked by clients and friends, “What do you think is best, a bereavement group or individual therapy?” Those who decide to go with a group then…
