It has often been a source of much wonderment to me that we have such little insight into an area of life that is common to us all. Perhaps this is a reflection on our society and its particular taboos. But since we all die, and most of us will experience the death or bereavement of one or more people close to us, it's a good idea to consider the most "real" and "honest" way to act when someone dies.
“An event has happened, upon which it is difficult to speak, and impossible to remain silent.” -Edmund Burke I recently came across this quote and found it very applicable to child loss. I often refer to the death of a child as “unspeakable loss”. The death of a child is so profound that for the [...]
If you have lost a loved one then maybe you will agree with me that coping with the aftermath is different for everyone and for this reason there really cannot be any written material that gives a guide about how we should cope. The purpose of this article is to share some thoughts that come from the university of life which we all have to attend. Reflecting on my experience I tend to conclude that women who are said to be the weaker sex are in fact the stronger sex when it comes to bereavement.
Child’s Own Studio began with a simple gift for a 4-year-old boy and bloomed into a full-fledged craft business, which has made hundreds of unique “softies” – stuffed toys for children based on their own drawings. Child’s Own works to … Continue reading
This is Lisa’s story as told by Katie…. In 2011, I lost my mother and my mother-in-law within ten days. Soon after that, I lost my brother-in-law’s mother and then my brother-in-law. These people were immensely important to me, and … Continue reading
An all too common response to the seeing someone suffering the pain of a loss is to assure them that the pain will end. We use well intended if worn clichés such as, "Someday this will all seem like a bad dream" or "Time heals all wounds." This rhetoric is meant to give hope to those who seem hopeless. However, these kinds of statements are based on the false assumption that closure brings an end to suffering at the end of the grieving process; it presumes that the end of pain is the ultimate goal for everyone who is in mourning. This is not always the case.
There are many books and articles written about how to deal with the loss of a family member. Losing a family member can be a terrible experience; losing a family member unexpectedly can create additional barriers to overcome.
Activity For Grieving Tweens and Teens
I believe becoming aware of our emotions is a critical step in the grieving process. When we are aware, we can truly make a choice of how we want to experience each day.
Here is one of my favorite activities I’ve shared with middle school children in the child bereavement program I volunteer in, which demonstrates this idea:
A secondary loss in grief refers to another "crisis" that occurs simultaneously or as a result/reaction to the death of a loved one. Most people experience one or more secondary losses during grief that must be resolved before they can truly grieve. Understand the impact of secondary losses and learn how to deal with them.
“Life,” by Anna Barbauld, is a unique poem; rather than question what death is, and wonder what happens to us after we die, Barbauld ponders what exactly life is. In her view, life is the active force, not death. Life … Continue reading →
