What do you do when what makes sense doesn’t make sense? Just two days — 48 hours — after my dad died in March 2020, I received a telephone call from my acting supervisor asking when I might return to work. I knew at that very moment that I’d quit my corporate job. With absolutely no disrespect directed towards […]
As a person who’s grieving, you’ve likely heard others express how important it is to be patient with yourself in grief. Sounds great, right? But have you ever thought about why it’s so hard to exercise self-compassion, including patience with yourself, as you grieve? Well, I have. Here, I’ll share a couple of insights I’ve […]
Can you ever cling too tightly …. to friends and family after you’ve experienced loss of a loved one via death? Short answer, no … and yes. Let me start with the ‘no.’ After experiencing the loss of a loved one via death, it’s not uncommon to cling more tightly to those around you. As […]
I don’t think I realized just how over-exposed I was to death and dying until late fall 2021. Up to that point, I plugged along in my practice and worked to grow my business. I practiced daily rituals to navigate the losses of both of my parents. And I regularly sought wise counsel to increase my […]
As you support a loved one who’s experienced traumatic grief, you realize that walking the walk isn’t easy … Being there for someone navigating a tough moment is one thing. Consistently showing up for them for a lifelong struggle is completely different. Even as a licensed psychologist, I sometimes struggle to sit in the messy […]
Have you ever been ghosted by a friend throughout your grief journey? In case you’re unfamiliar with the term “ghosted,” check out this 2019 The New York Times article about why people ghost: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/22/smarter-living/why-people-ghost-and-how-to-get-over-it.html. Essentially, ghosting occurs when a person severs communication with another person without explanation. The LAST thing I thought would ever happen […]
Does anyone else know a thing or two about walking through the fog? It’s day five of 2022, and all I can say is, ‘Phew … thank you, Lord, for carrying me through the past two years!’ Am I the only one? 2020 started off with anticipation. My dad had just undergone a surgical procedure […]
As grief attempts to surround us on all sides, what would it look like to tap into the magic of curiosity? At first glance, you may be thinking there’s not much room to consider cultivating much beyond the grief process itself. Trust me, I get it. It’s hard enough to simply wake up and complete […]
‘Christmas, Christmas time is near … time for joy and time for cheer …’ always rings in my ear this time of year. Growing up, I loved Alvin and the Chipmunks, and this was one of my favorite songs. To be honest, it still tickles me to hear Dave scream, “Alvin!!!!” throughout the song. If you’ve […]
Have you ever felt, in the midst of life’s challenges, that hope is a mirage? You know … the more you look out into the distance, the foggier and more blurry the scene becomes? Yeah, me too. For many, the pandemic has created a bit of a standstill on multiple levels. I find myself etched […]
