I Cannot Say His Name
I cannot bring myself to say her name. Just the thought of you can cause my heart to jump out of my chest. I miss you so much. Grief can evoke various distinctive emotions in us, most of which we, as humans, are unfamiliar with. The trigger can even simply be their...
I Just Want to Talk to Her One More Time
I just want to have one more conversation. I need to tell you a few more things. I never got to tell you how important you were to me. I never got to say thank you for all that you did for me. I wish that I had one more day with you. Losing you was the most...
I Have Never Cried
Why do the tears never come? Crying is not grieving; tears may or may not be a sign of your grief. As grievers, we judge the progress of our grieving by the amount we cry. So often we meet clients who say, “But I’ve grieved already.” However, when we dig a little...
Are Grief and Sorrow the Same Thing?
Every single person on this planet will go through periods of sadness in their life- happiness does not last forever, after all! When we talk about grief then there's really no difference between sorrow and grief; while they both share similar definitions (sorrow:...
Advice People Give You
Myth #1 We Must Be Strong for Others On June 17, 2006, I received a call from my daughter, Brittani, that would change my life forever. My then ten-year-old nephew was missing near the river where my family was spending the Father’s Day weekend. In just three brief...
Pet Loss
The bond between a pet and owner is often stronger than one between people. Pets love us unconditionally and without judgement. They show true love and affection, and all they ask for is that love to be reciprocated. No matter how many times you have to correct...
Mother’s Day Without Her Child
This is the last Mother’s Day post Donovan had written for me, and when it shows up on my FB memories, it always brings up bittersweet emotions. I miss him so much! Each passing year brings dreams that I will never see him, or his bother achieve. I will never see...
I am Drowning?
Unresolved grief can have the feeling of drowning. As a Grief Specialists, we are well aware that death and divorce are the most common causes of grief our thoughts turn to when we consider grieving. Several of us have hundreds of grieving experiences and never...
The Childless Mother
I was always the girl who seized the most out of life. The one everyone else wanted to be around to lift their spirits, but now I feel so lonely because my heart is broken. –Brittani I can feel the weight of a thousand stones on my chest and I am not sure if it will...
The Best Grandmother for Ever
UPDATE: Three years ago, my oldest daughter Lauren and I were in Kohl’s at Christmas time, when we came across an Elf on A Shelf in the box, complete with book and story for $39.95. We looked at each other and laughed, “Aren’t we lucky we don’t have to deal with...
The Best Grandmother for Ever…
It was February 2015. My husband Tony and I were preparing for the wedding of Brittani, our youngest child. Our oldest daughter Lauren and her husband Daniel had just arrived in town from Hawaii, and we were all sitting around the table when Lauren and Dan let us know...
Are Grief and Depression The Same Thing?
The question is often raised after someone loses a loved one, whether they are depressed. Grief is the normal and natural reaction to a loss of any kind. It is very important to understand the differences between the two to ensure that the correct treatment is...
Are Grief And Loss The Same?
Grief is the emotional response to a loss of any kind. A few examples of the types of loss an individual can experience are the loss of a loved one, pregnancy, financial security, marriage, pet, infertility, and health. A loss means to lose something. That loss can...
Can Grief Make You Tired?
Grieving the loss of a loved one takes immense energy. Chronic fatigue and exhaustion are extremely common throughout the grieving process. Sometimes, it takes all our energy to pretend that we are okay when in reality, we feel as though we are drowning in despair. ...
Are Grief Support Groups Helpful?
Support groups bring together people who are going through or have gone through similar experiences. There are hundreds of different types of support groups that someone can become a part of. For example, this common ground might be cancer, chronic medical conditions,...
Are Grief and Mourning the same?
Let’s start with Webster's definition: mourn·ing /ˈmôrniNG/ noun the expression of deep sorrow for someone who has died, typically involving following certain conventions such as wearing black clothes. "She's still in mourning after the death of her husband." black...
Can Grief Make you Ill?
The overwhelming sadness associated with grief can not only affect your emotional health but may also have extreme negative effects on your physical health. Here are a few examples of how grief can make you ill: Changes in sleep patterns—when we do not get enough...
Can Grief Change You?
Yes. Grief will change you forever. I would like to type out in this blog, “No, your grief will not change you,” but that would be a lie. Your grief will change the trajectory of your life forever. You will never be the same person again. Hear me loud and clear...
Can Grief Cause Anxiety?
Anxiety is sometimes a practical and useful emotion, needed in certain situations. Anxiety helps us prepare for the driver’s license exam or remember the things we might need to take to school or on a special trip. It also helps us stay alert to ensure our safety. It...
Are Grief And Bereavement the Same Thing
be·reavement /bəˈrēvmənt,bēˈrēvmənt/ Learn to pronounce noun the action or condition of being bereaved. "there is no right way to experience bereavement Loss- deprivation-dispossession-sorrow-sadness grief /ɡrēf/ Learn to pronounce noun deep sorrow, especially that...