New Years after losing a loved one to suicide can be difficult for survivors. New Years is supposed to be a time of happiness and hope. Year after year I listen to people as they talk about what they plan to do to make this year better than the last. The gym is filled with new faces, as people pour in, promising to live a healthier lifestyle. New goals are set, projects are planned, and promises are made. When I think about it, New Years ...
The Other Side of Grief
As survivors of a suicide loss, we all know the what the other side of grief looks like. It isn't always pretty. I am beyond excited to be a part of a video series that offers hope to those who have been touched by suicide. Here is a great chance to learn more about how to navigate grief to find hope and happiness again.
Here are some tools that you will learn:
Recognize grief can be used as a transformation process to reach a ...
Running from the Pain of Suicide
When I lost my dad to suicide I spent a great deal of time running from the pain of suicide. The interesting thing about my pain was that it took time to actually hit. I always refer to this time as "the distracted period." We often think we are doing pretty well. Then something happens. The bottom falls out, the ground we are standing on no longer seems sturdy. The pain becomes intense and feels overwhelming. We don't want to feel it. ...
What is Acceptance?
As a grief therapist and survivor of a suicide loss I often struggle with the word acceptance. I have yet to meet another survivor who doesn't ask me about acceptance. Suicide leaves you in a state of disbelief. How did this happen? And most importantly, "How did this happen to ME?" When I am asked about acceptance, I often turn the question around, asking the person what acceptance means to them. In my opinion, acceptance means something ...
The Little Things
Why does it take a tragedy to make us aware of what really matters in life? One struggle I have found many survivors face after a suicide is caring about other people's small stuff. Survivors will tell me that they feel anger and resentment towards others who complain about situations that seem so miniscule. We no longer look at the world through the same lens, yet the people around us do. This is extremely difficult as we work to reunite ...