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By Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. We as a nation will never be “done” mourning the loss of 2,977 lives lost during the attack on September 11, 2001. On that Tuesday morning at the World Trade Center in New York, more than 2,700 people died, among them over two thousand people working at the Twin Towers, […]
Continue ReadingPart 6: Living and Grieving Together by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. In the early days after the death of someone you love dearly, it’s normal for this step to seem like a ridiculous impossibility. You feel so raw and torn apart, you can’t imagine surviving, let alone returning to any semblance of “normal life.” But […]
Continue ReadingPart 5: Embracing Your Spirituality Helps You Survive by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. In early grief, existential questions tend to naturally arise. Why did the person have to die? Why now? Why in this way? Why does anyone live and die? Why are we here? I often say “why” questions naturally precede “how” questions. […]
Continue ReadingPart 4: Telling Your Stories Helps You Survive by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. Telling your stories of love and loss helps you survive. The more you allow yourself to tell your stories, the more you will be helping yourself embark on a healthy path to integrating loss into your life. Going Backward Before Forward Since […]
Continue ReadingNurturing 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 ReadingPart 3: Acknowledging the Illusion of Control by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. Death naturally throws thoughts, feelings, and behaviors into disarray. Nothing may feel “normal” right now. Your routines and schedules might be chaotic. You may often find yourself surprised at things you think, say, or do. Small things that you used to take in […]
Continue ReadingPart 2: It’s Important for You to Feel Safe and Comforted by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. Have you felt stressed, anxious, fearful, agitated, panicked, worried, or uneasy since the death? I’m not sure grief is possible without these feelings. As author C.S. Lewis wrote after his 45-year-old wife died of cancer, “No one ever told me […]
Continue ReadingPart 1: Intense Grief Is Normal and Often Necessary by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. I have been a grief counselor and educator for more than forty years, and that is the most common way in which people describe their early grief to me. They say: “I feel like I’m going crazy.” “I feel like I’m […]
Continue ReadingLosing a loved one is never easy, and there’s no timeline for grief. While being able to move forward is important, you’ll still remember that person every day. The people we love and lose can live in our hearts forever, but we can also ensure their legacy remains for generations to come, providing not only […]
Continue ReadingGrief, a profound and often overwhelming emotion, can cloud our thoughts and disrupt our daily lives. Amidst this turbulence, mindfulness practices offer a beacon of calm and clarity. By grounding ourselves in the present moment, we can navigate the depths of sorrow with greater compassion and resilience. In this article, we explore various mindfulness techniques […]
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