Have you ever wondered where others end and you begin? Over the years, I certainly have. This is based, in part, on my natural giving nature, as well as my profession. (Yes, there are days when working as a licensed psychologist doesn’t work to my advantage!) I’m reminded of a season in my early 30s […]
Let’s face it. Asking the tough questions — whether about ourselves, others, or events in our lives — is hard. 2012 proved to be the year that I began asking them. It was the year my mom died 30 days after being diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer. Just 30 days! Questions flooded my mind […]
“Routine is rather like the egg whites in a batter: it imparts little flavor, but it holds everything together.” — Josiah Bancroft Experiencing a significant loss opens your eyes to see many things, including just how lopsided your life has become. From learning how to live life apart from a loved one to exploring newfound […]
“Why don’t you just stop?” This was the hard question my ex-therapist asked me as I sat across the room from her with tears welling up in my eyes. “How rude!” I thought, especially since I was a relatively new griever, just one year shy of my mom’s death anniversary. I’d entered the therapy session, […]
Grief cracks wide open many things within and around you. Prior to my mom’s death in December 2012, I thought of grief in primarily emotional ways. I understood the potential for sadness. The tears. Desperate longing. Pain. I’d sat with many clients in the years leading up to her death – clients who sat across […]
Grief has a way of unraveling you. Thread by thread. Painful moment by painful moment. December 2012 thrust me into uncharted territory — the dark and messy wilderness of grief. On the ninth day of the month, my spunky and outspoken mother died after receiving a diagnosis of stage IV pancreatic cancer just 30 days […]
Have you ever focused on what you think you lack in life? Perhaps a relationship or marriage. The big house. A huge social network. Children. Career accomplishments. A fancy car. If I’m 100% honest, I could scream a resounding, “Yes!” to this question. At varying points in my life, I’ve found myself peering into other’s […]
