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Nurturing Silence is about self-Care Strategies for the Thoughtful Soul. Dealing with the loss of a loved one is an incredibly challenging experience. As an introvert, you might find traditional methods of coping overwhelming. Creating a self-care plan tailored to your needs can help you navigate this difficult time. AfterTalk explains how to build a […]
Continue ReadingBy Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. When a death is sudden and unexpected, as is typically the case with a military death, it’s that much more difficult. Violent or self-inflicted death, whether accidental or intentional, often leaves mourners in shock for weeks, months and sometimes years. The death of a younger person is always naturally challenging. […]
Continue ReadingHow to Talk With Loved Ones About End-of-Life Plans We tend to dance around it. We find polite ways to change the subject, to promise “another time,” to chuckle uncomfortably and pivot. But the truth doesn’t bend: every one of us, at some point, will leave this world. And those we love will feel […]
Continue Readingby Melissa Calvert A ritual is a ceremony of meaning, a continued observance of ceremonies which are repeated routinely are known as rituals. Rituals can either be done in an isolated manner or by gathering lots of people; it varies from person to person. Rituals are held to mark important events in one’s life, for […]
Continue ReadingEulogy or Remembrance: The Importance of Educating the Family About the Value of Remembering Backward While teaching a recent workshop for mental health clinicians, a participant raised his hand and asked, “Is the eulogy all that important to a funeral?” His question reminded me that when people question the value of funerals (or a […]
Continue ReadingGrief Poem 124 Dayenu: It Would Have Been Enough by L.R. Lynn If we had been given one more year to watch the sun set on the far mountains, float on our backs in salt ponds shaded by ancient willows that protest the weight of their leaves, and hold each other close as the seasons […]
Continue Reading“Don’t Play Music, We Might Cry” Educating Families About the Value of Music Sadly, I frequently have families experiencing grief state some variation on the following: “Don’t play music, we might cry.” Of course, when they say this I remind myself that I have the opportunity to teach them why music is often an important […]
Continue ReadingEDITOR’S PREFACE It’s been a rough couple of weeks for me. I lost I close friend I’ve known since 1966, my former psychologist (cancer), and my beloved dog Penny who has been by my side for over 14 years. I loved her so much I cannot write these words without crying. She died peacefully through […]
Continue ReadingA common media question I have been asked recently is “What do you think about having funerals before the person is dead?” As you probably know, these are often referred to as “living funerals.” Living funerals have been referred to by the media as an “up and coming” trend that appears to be growing in […]
Continue ReadingGrief is a natural response to death and non-death losses. Everyone experiences the impact, acknowledged or not. I didn’t acknowledge it but felt its presence in my body. Influences on thoughts and feelings are subtle yet strong enough to activate older losses. As a grief therapist, I recognize grief symptoms in others, but not myself. […]
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