Blog
All Grief Matters. No Grief Should Be Forbidden, No Matter Who the Deceased Is.
Two people may experience the same loss, but one may find that some loss is socially sanctioned or publicly mourned, whereas in another person’s is not.
Grief and Intimacy: A Hot Topic for Young & Old
In my practice, many of my bereaved clients have experienced the death of a spouse or partner, and along with all the other life changes, there exists the loss of the intimacy which they shared with that person. Grievers often feel that they have to keep this topic to themselves, and they don’t have a place to express this. In my practice, I encourage grievers to open up about this, because…
On Memorial Day — Why Memorials are Important for Remembrance
When dealing with grief, remembrance is an established principle that helps heal, so we can go on living our lives in meaningful ways. Memorials are an important part of every culture. To find out how grievers are impacted by memorial day read more!
The Stigma of Suicide: Why It’s One of The Hardest Deaths to Grieve
Suicide is a death like none other. Survivors of suicide can often experience different emotions that are unique to this kind of loss. It brings about so many unbearable feelings and emotions in people.
Grief Can Make You Want to Exercise or Not Want to Exercise
One of the known side effects of grief is a lack of motivation to do so many things. For some, that includes exercise. Others want to over-exercise as a means of distraction or a way to use up the pent-up feelings and energy that comprises grief.
For the majority (not all, but many many) grievers, the last thing they want to do is EXERCISE…
The Healing Power of Grief Yoga
I am such a believer in the power of yoga and I watch friends, family and colleagues benefit immensely from this practice. I wanted to experience for myself the power of this particular yoga practice to help heal grief. I also knew that I would want to then recommend it to the clients in my grief counseling practice.
How to Cope With the Death of a Pet
Losing a beloved pet can be emotionally devastating. You feel like you’re a wreck, you’re losing your mind? Find out how to cope after the loss of your pet.
Rise in Fentanyl Deaths Creating More Grief
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. It is a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the U.S.
There are two types of fentanyl…
For the Bereaved: New Year’s Resolutions Can Become Solutions
Welcome, 2023. Some people are still talking about making New Year’s resolutions, keeping them, or breaking them. As a grief counselor, I know that the bereaved want to FIND SOLUTIONS, NOT MAKE RESOLUTIONS. We all want solutions for our grief challenges. How can our resolutions sometimes lead to solutions?
A Caregiver’s Guide to Coping with Stress and Burnout
Most caregivers don’t worry about their own health since they’re solely focused on the person for whom they’re caring. But those who provide care to an older or disabled loved one tend to live with high chronic stress and skimp on self-care…
Avoid Major Decision-Making While Grieving—Why This is So Important
The phrase “don’t make any big decisions for the first year after a loved one dies” is not a myth. It’s a rule, for a reason. Here’s why…
Grief and Intimacy: A Hot Topic for Young & Old
In my practice, many of my bereaved clients have experienced the death of a spouse or partner, and along with all the other life changes, there exists the loss of the intimacy which they shared with that person. Grievers often feel that they have to keep this topic to themselves, and they don’t have a place to express this. In my practice, I encourage grievers to open up about this, because…
Grief is not One-Size Fits All: There are Many Types of Grief
Most people seem to think that “grief” is just “grief.” But in reality, there are many different types.
Grief is the reaction to a loss in your life. It most commonly refers to the death of a loved one, but includes the loss of physical or cognitive abilities, like a job, or a marriage, or a home. Grief can be expressed through emotions, but also through physical, behavioral, social and cognitive ways. It all counts as “grief.” So what are the different types of grief?
Your Grief Might Be Harder After the First Year
Grief changes in the second year, and for some, this grief is harder to navigate alone.
Year One is full of shock, denial, trying to adjust to a “new normal,” living without their loved one, taking care of paperwork tasks and maybe even curtailing social activities. Sadness, Maybe anger. Maybe guilt. Maybe relief, Maybe any and all emotions that come along.
Year Two kicks in with some of these thoughts…
Memorial Day: Like Grief, It’s All About Remembrance
When dealing with grief, remembrance is an established principle that helps heal, so we can go on living our lives in meaningful ways. Memorials are an important part of every culture. To find out how grievers are impacted by memorial day read more!
What You Know about the “Five Stages of Grief” is Wrong
At some point in our lives, most of us will experience intense emotional grief from losing a loved one. Bereavement is normal and a necessary part of processing deep loss. However, what many people don’t realize is that overcoming grief does not occur in neat, linear stages. Read More…
Grief is a Public Health Concern
The devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have led to another public health issue: the grief pandemic. The scale of pandemic-related grief is tremendous and is a public health concern.
The Importance of Community in Overcoming Grief
More than 5 million of America's children have lost caregivers in the first 19 months of the pandemic alone… As a result, mental health experts believe that the mental health damage from the pandemic could last for a generation.
What to Do to Help a Grieving Friend or Family Member
There are times in our lives when we are either speechless at a loss for words, and times when we think we have said the wrong thing to someone. Grieving is one of the situations which creates these outcomes for us. Read More…
The Cremation Process
Death can be difficult to talk about. But by pre-planning your funeral arrangements, you can save your family from stress and financial hardship. Have you considered cremation?