On the afternoon of December 23, 2011, Judi Merriam's eighteen-year-old son, Jenson, took his life ~ an act that blindsided everyone who knew him ~ changing her life and those of her family forever. The suicide of a loved one is devastating for those left behind and brings deep despair and seemingly endless grief. Judi was forced to confront profound feelings of loss and guilt and a future so very different from what she thought it would be. In her honest and soul-searching memoir, Empty Shoes by The Door, Judi reflects with grace and courage on the experience of living life after an unfathomable loss.
Monday, June 20, 2022
Sunday, June 19, 2022
Understanding and Managing Grief, June 12 - June 18, 2022
Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:
While it may be a special day for many, Father's Day is a holiday that challenges the endurance of fatherless children, as well as fathers and grandfathers whose children or grandchildren have died. Father's Day: Insights on Coping with Grief « Grief Healing
For practical suggestions on how to cope with grief and loss on Father’s Day ~ or on how to better understand and support a father in grief ~ I invite you to read one or more of the articles listed here. Coping with Grief on Father's Day: Selected Resources « Grief Healing
Monday, June 13, 2022
Pet Loss: Guilt Follows Adoption Mistake
Failure is the key to success; each mistake teaches us something. ~ Morihei Ueshiba
A reader writes: Recently my husband and I bought a beautiful, 3-mo. old Shepherd/Rottweiler puppy. We brought her home and named her Jenny. From the first night it became apparent that we had made a mistake. We were not ready for the demands of a new puppy, nor could we agree on whether to keep her inside or outside (I say inside, my husband said out). We just bought our home, remodeled, and redecorated, and I was a nervous wreck at the thought of the puppy ruining the furniture.
Sunday, June 12, 2022
Understanding and Managing Grief & Caregiving, June 5 - June 11, 2022
Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:
The loss of a baby is an undeniably singular and terrible loss. And for those who haven’t experienced this type of loss, it can be difficult to know what to say or do or how to help. But social support is one of the ways that humans get through grief, and how you respond to your colleague affects their experience of returning to work and overall well-being. Distilled from the experiences of grieving parents, the author offers ways to best support team members who face this devastating loss.How to Support a Colleague Who Just Lost a Baby « Harvard Business Review
Monday, June 6, 2022
In Grief: Failing to Protect My Mother
Sunday, June 5, 2022
Understanding and Managing Grief & Pet Loss, May 29 - June 4, 2022
Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:
The addition of this new disorder is intended to help clinicians and patients recognize what ‘normal grief’ looks like versus ‘a long-term problem’. Opinion: There is now a disorder for ‘prolonged’ grief. But what does ‘normal’ grief look like? « The Globe and Mail
Our dying and grieving processes have been disrupted during COVID. The Loss of a 'Good' Death « MedPage Today