Offering hope, comfort and support for survivors of suicide loss.
One of the first and most common sentiments survivors of suicide loss will share is that they don’t know how a loved one could have taken their own life, or why they did. On the surface, there appeared to be no signs or symptoms. And, the idea of suicide was never mentioned. Many times, the person who took their life was by all accounts the life of the party – a happy go lucky individual who had everything.
When I am sharing my story, I always ...
I was honored to be asked to be a featured expert on Marriage.com. In a world plagued by social media, our marriage and/or relationships can easily be placed under the microscope. We question if the person we have chosen to share our life with is the right one. Is there someone out there better suited to be with me? Does this person even understand me? Throw in a tragic loss like suicide, and the one thing that felt stable may feel completely ...
Celebrity suicides in the news can unearth mixed emotions for “everyday” survivors. As a huge fan of the late musician Chris Cornell, I’ve struggled with how to grieve or talk about his death. This is because I am dealing with it from two perspectives – one as the longtime fan who hangs on to memories of concerts and mourns the loss of his work yet to come – and second as someone who has lost a family member to suicide and knows and dreads the ...
Crying isn't a sign of weakness, it is a sign of strength. Why do we link sadness with weakness? Allowing yourself to feel the pain will bring forth a river of tears. Allowing yourself to feel the pain, takes incredible strength. It doesn't take strength to bury the pain. This is much easier than feeling the magnitude of the pain left behind by a suicide loss. I often hear others say, "I still cry everyday." Good! To me this means you are leaning ...
"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about." - Plato and Ian Maclaren
Later this summer I will mark six years without my dad, but I am amazed by how often I am still connected to him - and the loss - through everyday life experiences. One of those events was so strong for me that I need to reflect on it.
My dad was a judge in my hometown, having spent more than 30 years on the bench at the time of his death. ...
