Offering hope, comfort and support for survivors of suicide loss.
So there I was, in the middle of a restaurant, crying on the shoulder of a dear friend who also lost her father to suicide. I just love when grief hits at the most unexpected time (insert sarcastic emoji here). I have to say, it has been years since I've found myself crying in the middle of a public place. This December will mark seven years since my dad took his life. I have found a great deal of healing on my journey. Of course I still miss ...
The day my dad died was definitively the worst day of my life…right?
A challenging aspect of suicide loss is that life presses on for survivors. While it forces a “new normal,” dark emotions can dominate most days for years to follow.
But, eventually, survivors have to return to work, maintain a household, shop for groceries and keep up with all of the other things life requires. And, just as these things did before the suicide loss, they ...
This post originally appeared on the blog in February 2014. I wanted to share it again because I coincidentally find myself feeling exactly the same way nearly four years later to the date. This time, instead of buying a home in Chicago, my husband and I have made the decision to move our lives to a new state in the Midwest. All of the questions I would have had for my dad are now multiplied and I can't help but wonder what he would have thought ...
As I reflect back on 2017, I can share with certainty that it was a “rebuilding year” for me.
Continuing with the theme of Jessica’s last post about striving to meet your authentic self in the wake of loss, I realized I have taken many active steps this year toward uncovering my authentic self. The process isn’t complete, but I am eager to see this journey through.
All of this began unintentionally.
Through a new gym, I joined a book ...
The signs of the holiday season are ubiquitous: holiday decorations in the stores, piped in Christmas carols, holiday displays at the malls, TV programs focusing on selecting the perfect gift, holiday parties and gift exchanges at work. In many cases, this bustle of activity contrasts markedly with the emptiness and despair of grief. As one grieving person expressed it, “I wanted to crawl into a hole and come out after the holidays had passed.” ...
