Working Through Grief

Workshop For Grieving Teens — Friday, Nov. 14

November 3rd, 2011
Posted By:

One in nine Americans has experienced the death of a parent before the age of 20, according to the Wendt Center for Loss and Healing in Washington, DC.

The first time I read that statistic, it made me pause.  I thought about what that number meant; the human consequences of one in nine.

That’s a lot of children having their households turned upside down at a time when they need lots of love and stability.  Being a teenager is tumultuous enough.  Imagine the range of conflicting emotions the death of a parent, relative or close friend brings to them.  It’s … Read More

October Snowfall in NYC

November 1st, 2011
Posted By:

This past weekend I visited some people I love, in a city I love, even though the weather forecasters were predicting snowfall in October.  Despite the drumbeat of weather predictions, I didn’t believe it would actually happen.  I thought it might be cold enough to snow but I never thought it would actually stick to the streets and accumulate. Obviously, I was wrong.  By Sunday morning, CNN said New York City’s Central Park received 2.9 inches of snow and thousands of dollars in tree damage. Saturday morning, on the way to New York, it was heavy pounding rain.  Thank goodness… Read More

Read All About It

October 19th, 2011
Posted By:

A friend called me the other evening to talk about the obituary of a mutual friend recently published in a national newspaper.  He said he and others were beside themselves because the obituary didn’t do a very good job of capturing what the guy was really about.  To him, it seemed rather flat and cold and the very thought of it made him do a slow burn. I knew exactly how he felt because I have been there.  I had my own issues with my husband’s obituary.  Maybe this annoyance with the lack of important details in obituaries is an… Read More

Healing Help

October 17th, 2011
Posted By:

  Photo credit: Samantha Kira Harding   When you are in a place where you are searching to rebuild your life after the loss of a loved one and trying to find “a new normal” for yourself and your children, recognizing, addressing and expressing the strong emotions associated with grief can be helpful in getting you to a heal place. Moving forward takes time.  Unfortunately, there is no set schedule for when you are considered to be officially “healed.”  It would be comforting to be able to predict exactly how long it will take for you to deal with your… Read More

Living Through Personal Crisis — Register Now for Oct. 19 Conference

October 14th, 2011
Posted By:

There is still time to sign up for this conference if you or anyone else you know is interested: Sibley Hospital’s Widowed Person’s Outreach is sponsoring a conference on Living ThroughPersonal Crisis on Wednesday, October 19, 2011. Bestselling author Dr. Ann Kaiser Stearns brings a powerful message to those dealing with the pain of a loss. With her inspirational insight and helpful healing strategies, you’ll discover how you can move beyond the harsh and painful events that have occurred, grow stronger and still live a fulfilling life.  When a loved one dies, a marriage or important relationship ends, a financial… Read More

Listening Can Be Powerful

October 12th, 2011
Posted By:

Every day I try to maintain a positive attitude about life.  I remind myself that I am blessed for having family, friends, a home, a job and good health.  I tell myself that this day is unique and I have an opportunity to do something I didn’t get to do yesterday.  But it is still an anxious world we live in these days and we need to be aware of its’ toll on others. I am certain that God has a plan for all of us.  I am sure there are people out there who don’t believe in God or… Read More

Moments of Grace

October 7th, 2011
Posted By:

I found the below story, beautifully written by Colleen Wilson, from the excellent website, Hello Grief, to be uplifting. As we all continue with our quest to find a healing place for our grief feelings, I hope that each of us is able to find our own moments of grace. Moments of Grace By Colleen Wilson http://www.hellogrief.org October 5, 2011 As many grieving people know, keeping a loved one’s memory alive after they die can be a difficult task. There are many images, voices, smells and memories that you want to remember forever, but each day it can become a… Read More

An Online Chatting Momento

September 21st, 2011
Posted By:

Courtesy of Good Magazine You’re online and you decide you want to chat.  It’s a normal, casual thing that lots of people regularly do.  It saves time and money and you don’t think too much about what you’re saying to the other person except that you keep it brief.  Blah, blah, blah…..blah, blah, blah. Yet is online chatting really as casual as you think? It’s popular now for people to save their chat records just as they save copies of their email correspondence or a voice message left on an answering machine. This is a new concept for me because… Read More

Michelle Williams Now

September 14th, 2011
Posted By:

Actress Michelle Williams is finding a place to heal. By setting her own pace and allowing herself to feel the pain and imbalance of grieving, Williams says she has found new strength, new energy and hope as she takes on the complex role of Marilyn Monroe.  In a new interview with Vogue magazine, Williams talks about the 2008 death of actor and ex-boyfriend Heath Ledger as a deep loss that continues to affect her outlook on life, changing her as a parent, a friend and as an actress.  But with the passage of time, she is rebuilding her life, adapting… Read More