In Grief: Acknowledging A Need for Support

I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.  ~ Nelson Mandela

A reader writes: Ten years ago I lost my first and only wife of 47 years. All of them were fantastic years and we had a great marriage. She died after a two-year struggle with cancer. A lot of pain and lot of suffering. I cared for her in my home with the great help of hospice. She died in my arms. I continued to work through this time up until the last 3 weeks, but had awesome help from a daughter and daughter-in-law and many friends. After her death I was back on the job within 2 weeks or less and felt that I was strong and could handle the whole situation without any problem.

Understanding and Managing Grief, September 9 - September 15, 2018

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

It is a scary thing to fall in love again after loss, https://tinyurl.com/y8jrlrzj « Second Firsts

Book Review: "The Cremation of Sam McGee" by Robert Service,  http://j.mp/2MpQzWV « Seven Ponds Blog

Terminally Ill Father "Walks" Daughter Down The Wedding Aisle, http://j.mp/2MvizIv « Seven Ponds Blog

In Grief: Coping with A Spouse's Deathbed Confession

The truly scary thing about undiscovered lies is that they have a greater capacity to diminish us than exposed ones. They erode our strength, our self-esteem, our very foundation.  ~ Cheryl Hughes

A colleague writes: I have been searching the internet for information on a situation that one of my newly referred clients has and am not really finding what I think I need. This client is dealing with the deathbed confession of her spouse. He had been cheating on her for many years. I meet with her next week and just wanted to do some prep work prior to our meeting. Any suggestions?

Caregiving and Hospice, September 2 - September 8, 2018

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Internship introduces ASU students to hospice and palliative care, « ASU Now: Access, Excellence, Impact http://j.mp/2NYq3W0

How Creating a Vision Board Can Help With End-of-Life Planning, http://j.mp/2CqQ9Qr  « Thrive Global

Your feedback is welcome! Please feel free to leave a comment or a question, or share a tip, a related article or a resource of your own in the Comments section below. If you’d like Grief Healing Blog updates delivered right to your inbox, you’re cordially invited to subscribe to our weekly Grief Healing Newsletter. Sign up here.

Understanding and Managing Grief, September 2 - September 8, 2018

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Grief doesn’t have five stages, http://j.mp/2CpKgmg « The Outline

Updated Today: Grief Bibliography, http://j.mp/2ykZci7 « Grief Healing

Why Am I So Crabby? http://j.mp/2MPNSDa « Grief Compass

Grief and Resilience: Suggested Resources

Credit: Barrie Johnson, Unsplash

Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.  ~ Helen Keller

A reader writes: Do you have any suggestion of articles about grief and resilience? I am a bit confused about resilience. I've been targeted with that word/advice which to me doesn't make sense with what I'm going through. So, I would like to learn more. Thanks in advance.

My response: Quite a bit has been written on the topic of resilience, some of which specifically addresses grief and mourning, and some of which is more general in nature. Here is just a sampling:

Caregiving and Hospice, August 26, 2018 - September 1, 2018

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

One in Five Hospice Patients Is Discharged Alive, http://j.mp/2os3qy2 « Seven Ponds Blog

What Is the Environmental Impact of Traditional Burials and What Some Greener Alternatives? http://j.mp/2MLfmtH « Seven Ponds Blog

Now, WhatsApp for palliative care on doorstep, http://j.mp/2PlzD5y « Telegraph India

Understanding and Managing Grief, August 26, 2018 - September 1, 2018

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

7 Ways To Accommodate Little Kids at a Funeral, http://j.mp/2owyNrs « Modern Loss

For Those in Grief, Talking to a Dead Loved One Is Good for Mental Health, http://j.mp/2NbcHc8 « Teen Vogue

Is Anxiety the Missing Stage of Grief? http://j.mp/2N5zd68 « Goop

Coping with Pet Loss, August 26, 2018 - September 1, 2018

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

A Place in My Heart, When a Pet Dies, http://bit.ly/2wr0DJQ « BK Books

All Dogs Go To Heaven...Especially This One. Remembering Rudy The Wonder Dog, http://j.mp/2oj1jMY « Kelly Buckley

How to Talk to Your Veterinarian About End of Life Issues, http://j.mp/2wtNT5p « DogHealth.com

Your feedback is welcome! Please feel free to leave a comment or a question, or share a tip, a related article or a resource of your own in the Comments section below. If you’d like Grief Healing Blog updates delivered right to your inbox, you’re cordially invited to subscribe to our weekly Grief Healing Newsletter. Sign up here.

Voices of Experience: Goodgrief App to Connect The Bereaved

By Robynne Boyd

Healing yourself is connected with healing others.  ~ Yoko Ono

Did you know that August 30th is National Grief Awareness Day? This is a day to honor the gravity of loss and the power of love. I cannot emphasize enough that grief is as natural as love. It is a normal part of losing a loved one. Grief is normal. You are normal. And, you are going to be okay. That’s not to say that anything about grief is easy. It’s not. It’s a hard and sometimes treacherous journey. That’s why it’s helpful to find others who get it. You are not alone. That’s why Kim Libertini and I created Goodgrief app, the social network application enabling grieving people to privately connect, chat and support each other through text messaging on their mobile devices. This is our story: