Offering hope, comfort and support for survivors of suicide loss.
There are moments in the aftermath of a suicide loss where happiness and sadness collide. For many years I felt conflicted when sadness appeared during times that should be happy. I tried to stuff the sadness down, not acknowledging its presence. What I found was by burying the sadness, I wasn't able to experience the happiness. Why does it have to be happiness OR sadness? I have come to find out that it doesn't have to be one or the other. You ...
This week we share a post from Sharon, who writes about the realities of suicide loss after losing her son. What people see on the outside is often not congruent with what we feel on the inside. They don't see what happens when the doors close, and the realities of our loss sink in. Know that you are not alone; there are (sadly) so many who understand your journey. We hope this week's post helps you feel a little more understood.
The other ...
This week we welcome guest blogger, Kimberly Starr, who reminds us that our loved ones are gone, but not forgotten. Thank you for sharing these beautiful moments with us all.
One of my teaching colleagues, who was also one of Tom’s high school teachers, stopped me in the hall yesterday. She said over the weekend she decided to wear the scarf she wore to Tom’s memorial service, and it reminded her of the beauty of the service and how much she ...
I was recently reading the book, The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown. While the book is not focused on grief, I couldn't help but think about how difficult having compassion for ourselves is. Especially in the aftermath of a suicide when we struggle with not only acknowledging that this tragedy happened, but trying to make sense out of a senseless act. The following is an excerpt from the book, that I wanted to share:
"The word compassion ...
This week, we welcome Sarah who writes about finding peace without finding acceptance. Do you know what the Stages of Grief were intended for? I felt this was the perfect opportunity to offer a little education on the topic. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross interviewed individuals in a hospital who were dying from a terminal illness. These are the stages THEY went through prior to dying. Makes a lot of sense, right? The stages were never meant for survivors ...
