Author Archive
A great fear, and struggle, that grievers have with a holiday is anticipating how different and difficult it will be without their person there. Assuredly, that person’s death will leave a hole in a family’s …
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Between November 1 and January 1, there are more than three dozen holidays celebrated around the world. Some of the most popular and important holidays occur during this time, including Dia de los Muertos, Thanksgiving, …
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If anything “good” has come from the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been that topics such as mental health and suicide are no longer taboo subjects to talk about. There is a growing awareness of how …
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According to the National Institute for Mental Health, suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States, with over 45,000 people in 2020. It’s the second leading cause of death among individuals between …
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In his book, Do Funerals Matter, author and widely regarded authority on the role of social support in death, dying, and grief William G. Hoy makes a strong case for the value of rituals in …
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A Matter of Death and Life by Irvin D. Yalom and Marilyn Yalom is a wonderful book on so many levels. Most anyone who picks up this superb “diary” will find their life enhanced, their …
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We all want to be remembered for something. We have children, we paint, we write, we fight, we conquer. We leave behind marks on the fabric of humanity, and while some are content to stay …
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What’s in a name? A lot if you ask me. In the ancient world, when a person’s name was mentioned in a conversation or a letter, they became present in that moment. Whether they were …
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Nearly every generation has a TV show or a character, that is a large component of your upbringing. For many of us as children, we welcomed television families into our own family rooms. We’d let them into …
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Facing our fears builds courage. It is a means to step forward in our grief. That is what courage looks like. Courage is not fearlessness. Courage means that we experience all the feelings that make …
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